What is Rooibos?
What is Rooibos?
Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) is a small shrub in the legume family that only grows in a single mountain range in South Africa and nowhere else on Earth. The needle-like leaves are fermented to produce the tea’s characteristic red color and rich flavor.
Rooibos was originally enjoyed by the native Khoi San people of the Cedarburg Mountains. When hiking in this region today, you may still find large flat stones in the desert that are stained red from the fermentation process that the Khoi San developed. By bruising the needle-shaped green leaves, they discovered how to turn rooibos into an aromatic wonder-herb.
In rural South Africa, it is common to find a pot of rooibos simmering on the stove or beside the cookfire all day long. Guests are treated to a steaming cup of dark, rich tea upon their arrival.