Flush

1. The name given to a shoot that contains a full complement of leaves, comprising of two leaves and a bud. It takes an average of 40 days for a leaf bud to develop into a flush.

2. A term used to describe the timing of the tea harvest. For example, the first flush is the early spring plucking of new shoots, whilst the second flush is harvested from the late spring to early summer, resulting in more body and a fuller flavour. Autumnal flush refers to the late season harvest.