Lupines in bloom at Muzha and Maokong — Immerse yourself in this springtime limited-edition tea garden scenery

Written/Compiled and reported by MOOK Travel Life Net’s Chen Guanxin

 

The Muzha and Maokong area is one of Taipei City’s key tea-producing regions, where local tea farmers primarily grow Tieguanyin. Spring is not only a busy farming season but also a time of renewal. At the same time, the lupines intercropped among the tea gardens in the Muzha and Maokong area have also entered their blooming period.The lupine blooming season in the Muzha and Maokong area lasts until approximately late March. Local tea farmers utilize fallow land and tea gardens after the winter tea harvest for intercropping. To admire the lupines in Maokong, take the Maokong Gondola up the mountain and follow the signs to the terraced area above the pond on the Camphor Tree Trail.Currently, besides the most commonly seen and best-blooming yellow lupines, there are also shorter white-flowered varieties and purple varieties that will gradually enter their peak blooming period — visitors to Maokong shouldn’t miss them.

Lupines are a green manure crop frequently used in northern Taiwan’s tea gardens. After the winter tea harvest, local tea farmers sow lupine seeds between the tea trees. After more than three months of growth, the tea gardens display a beautiful sight of alternating lupines and tea trees, adding a colorful diversity to the landscape.

When the flowers are about to wither, tea farmers chop the lupine plants and turn them into the soil to provide nutrients needed for tea tree growth. This practice helps conserve the ecosystem and improve soil fertility, enabling sustainable management of the tea gardens. Visiting Maokong at this time allows you to not only enjoy the sight of various flowers swaying in the breeze, but also to sample locally produced fine teas nearby and stroll along Maokong’s trails to experience the beautiful scenery of Taipei’s suburban tea gardens.