Rooibos
The plant known as rooibos (Afrikaans for „red bush“) is a member of the legume family. The only place it grows is in the Cederberg region of South Africa. Their twigs are usually harvested using a sickle, then finely chopped, pressed and humidified. This improves the process of oxidation, at the end of which the popular rooibos tea – also known as bush tea or redbush tea – has gained its attractive, reddish brown color and fruity aroma.
Honeybush
Just like rooibos, honeybush was discovered in South Africa in the 18th century. The honeybush shrub owes its name to its characteristic appearance. The blossoms are bright yellow and smell like honey, whereas the leaves are somewhat rougher than those of rooibos. The South Africans also call it “vegetable bush”, due to its pod-shaped fruits and knobbly roots. The wild growing plants thrive exclusively on small mountain ranges in the Longkloof District. In the 1990s it was re-discovered and is cultivated today for commercial purposes in 35 different locations. The infusion tastes pleasantly sweet and aromatic.