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Rooibos & Honeybush - Ten Important Things to Know About These Plants

April 16, 2025 Michele Lillie

At English Tealeaves, we offer numerous varieties of tea – black, green, white, oolong and others. Have you ever heard of Red tea? If we were in China, what they refer to as Red tea is what we call Black tea. Here in the US, Red tea isn’t really tea at all, but is known as rooibos. Here are ten things you should know about this important plant and its cousin, honeybush.

Name

Red tea is what some people call Rooibos. Another name that is sometimes used is Red Bush Tea, as both the leaves and the brew have a reddish color, and the plant from which the leaves are harvested is a bush.
If you are a reader, you will often run across the mention of Red Bush Tea in Alexander McCall Smith’s wonderful fiction series based in Botswana and entitled The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.

What is it?

Rather than being a real tea, meaning it comes from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant, rooibos is made from the leaves of a totally different plant.
Most people will call rooibos an herbal tisane, although it is not a true herb, either.

Where is it grown?

The Rooibos plant is the Aspalathus Linearis plant, a bush native to South Africa’s Western Cape. It is found exclusively in the Cedarberg area, just north of Cape Town. Although attempts have been made, there has been little success growing this plant outside of this area as it is sensitive to the environment and requires specific growing conditions.
In 2021, the European Union granted rooibos “Protected Designation of Origin” (PDO) status. This is said to ensure quality and safeguard the name of the product, similar to other products such as Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and champagne. To be called by those names, they must come from specific regions, and the production must follow specific production techniques. Sparkling white wine made from grapes that are not grown in the Champagne region of France cannot be called champagne, only sparkling white wine.

A multi-colored map of African with areas labeled

The Cedarberg area produces about 15,000 tons of rooibos a year, and about half of it is for export – mainly to Germany, The Netherlands, the UK, Japan and the US. It is becoming more and more popular as an herbal tisane around the world.
Just as you can do tours of tea-producing areas, there is also a “Rooibos Route.” It was created in 2012 by an owner of a tea shop in that area.

What is its history?

It is said to have been discovered by Khoisan tribes, who would dry the leaves, brew them, add honey and drink the brew. It is true that rooibos has been used in South Africa for centuries for medicinal purposes such as digestive problems, headaches, and insomnia. I still remember one of the first tea-tasting events I led years ago. Upon mentioning that we would be sampling rooibos, one of the women screwed up her face. It seems that she was from South Africa, and she said they only drank it for gastrointestinal distress.
From its roots as a medicinal beverage, it evolved into an enjoyable hot beverage in the late 1800s. The Dutch settlers in South Africa were looking for an affordable alternative to black tea, which was expensive since it had to be imported from Asia.

What is Honeybush?

A plant that is related to the rooibos plant is the Cyclopia plant. The leaves are also brewed to make an herbal tisane called Honeybush. The name comes from the plant having yellow, honey-scented flowers. It is also native to South Africa.
In contrast to Rooibos, which is grown on the western cape of South Africa, honeybush is grown on the eastern cape.

Similarities with Camellia Sinensis tea

Production—The harvesting and processing techniques of the rooibos leaves are similar to those of the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant. After picking the leaves, they are dried and allowed to oxidize, as with black tea. This is called red rooibos. There is also a version in which heat is applied to stop the oxidation, as with green tea. This is called green rooibos.
Body–The mouthfeel or thickness you get when drinking tea is known as body. Most herbal tisanes have very little body. Rooibos infusions have more body, making the drinker feel more like they are drinking real tea.
Antioxidants—Tea is considered a healthful beverage due to the presence of antioxidants and similar chemicals. Both rooibos and honeybush also contain significant amounts of antioxidants.
Flavoring—Just as with real tea, rooibos and honeybush may be consumed in their natural state or with additional flavoring. Think of caramel rooibos, chocolate mint rooibos, chai rooibos, and so much more.

Differences with Camellia Sinensis tea

Caffeine–Because these plants are not related to the Camellia Sinensis plant, they are naturally caffeine-free.
Tannins—Tannins are substances found naturally in real tea, but they can lead to bitterness and astringency in the brew. Rooibos and Honeybush are both very low in tannins.
Brewing—Although the process of brewing is the same as with black tea, it is much more forgiving. If tea is brewed for too long, it can easily become bitter. Rooibos and Honeybush, on the other hand, can be brewed extensively without developing bitterness.

What do rooibos and honeybush taste like?

Red rooibos

It produces a pretty reddish-brown colored brew. It was even named one of the top 10 colors in the Pantone Fashion Color Trend Report 2023.
The brew is smooth and full-bodied. In 2012, a study was published in the journal Food Research International that attempted to produce a flavor profile for rooibos by examining samples from the 2009 harvesting season that were from different geographic areas in the Western Cape, South Africa, and from different producers so that they allowed as much variation as they could. What they found is what people would call “characteristic” rooibos flavor could be described as a “combination of honey, woody and herbal-floral notes with a slightly sweet taste and subtle astringency. Caramel and a sweet-associated fruity flavor were also present in many rooibos infusions.”

Green rooibos

With its lack of oxidation, green rooibos has a mellower, grassier flavor.

Honeybush

The brew made from the leaves of this plant has a sweeter, lighter and slightly floral taste. It is also wonderfully aromatic.
In South Africa, keeping a kettle of honeybush tea infusing on the stove ready for drinking while scenting the house was common practice.

There is a subset of people who describe the flavor of red rooibos (but not green rooibos) to be like cough syrup. Some think this may be due to genetics, in the same way that some think cilantro tastes like soap.

How to brew

As noted above, brewing is similar to what you would do with black tea.
Place 1-2 teaspoons in a cup and add boiling water. For the most flavor, brew for a minimum of five minutes.
Some experts claim that the highest antioxidant levels are found when brewing for 10 minutes.

A clear cup with a reddish color liquid inside it.

How to store

These products should be stored just as real tea, in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, heat, humidity or strong odors.

Have you ever tried rooibos or honeybush? Are you looking for a wonderful caffeine-free brew that is more substantive than many herbal teas? Check out our offerings featuring rooibos and honeybush!

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