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South Africa tea is usually referred to as rooibos and, it is native to the country. It is usually harvested and dried to be used to brew a reddish-brown herbal infusion that is referred to as ‘tea.’ Scientifically, it is not genuine ‘tea’ because it comes from the herb Aspalathus linearis native to the country.

The Dutch settlers who moved to South Africa in the 1700s were responsible for first introducing rooibos to the native area. For them, it was cheaper to brew it as compared to other traditional teas and, its commercialization did not start until the 1930s. Rooibos now can be used for a number of purposes including food flavouring, cooking and as an additive in cosmetic products.

It is grown in the mountainous region of Cederberg in South Africa where it has become native to the area. The country is the only one in the world that produces rooibos and produces about 15,000 tonnes annually from around 450 farmers. About half of what is produced is exported to other countries, chief among them being the Netherlands, Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom.

It is used by adding it to hot water to create a beverage that is typically vanilla, smoky, woody and even floral. The colour of the brew is reddish-orange, but it can also be added to milk and mixed with sugar for taste. It has nutritional and health benefits that have made it a popular drink in several countries including, South Africa.

When the tree is first planted as a seedling, it takes up to 18 months for it to mature for harvesting. The ideal mean annual temperature for its growth should be around 20°C and requires at least five hours of sunlight daily. The relative humidity should range between 80% and 90% for the shoot to grow fully and mature.

On an annual basis, anything between 1,500mm and 6,000mm of rainfall is required for the growth of the tree. Regular watering is essential and, it requires a slightly acidic pH of the soil between 4,5 and 5,5. The soil must be at least two meters deep and rich in minerals.

Rooibos is typically harvested during South Africa’s summer periods where the bushy tree is cut by hand and, the stems and leaves collected into bundles. The bundles have to be sorted and cut up to allow for oxidation and, they are graded depending on the stem to leaf content ratio. Most of the processing is done in South Africa from which it is exported to different markets around the world.

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