Blooming teas are sourced from the Yunnan province in the far south east of China. Its existence can be traced back hundreds of years. Each blooming tea ball is delicately hand-sewn by an experienced tea artisan. Flowers commonly used include globe amaranth, chrysanthemum, jasmine, lily, hibiscus and osmanthus. First, they tie up green tea leaf buds into a bundle using either silk or cotton threads. Then, edible flowers are delicately tied to the tea leaves rosettes. Tender care is taken to make sure that the flowers are fully hidden and wrapped by the tea buds. The flower will not bloom properly when steeped if this crucial step is not properly handled.