• The botanical (scientific) name for the Rooibos plant is Aspalathus linearis.
• The plant (and the products made from it) is widely known as Rooibos (pronounced ROY-BOSS). In some countries it is also called “redbush” or “African red tea”.
• Rooibos is a fynbos species within the Cape Floral Kingdom, one of only six recognised floral kingdoms of the world.

REGIONS WHERE ROOIBOS GROWS

• Rooibos is a unique product from a unique area. The plant is indigenous to the Cedarberg region, north-west of Cape Town, where the local communities have been using it to brew tea for centuries. This is the only place in the world where Rooibos grows naturally. The region’s hot and dry summers, winter rainfall and coarse sandy soil is ideally suited to the Rooibos plant. The Cedarberg region’s rock art heritage, geology and biodiversity attract scientists from all over the world. It is also a popular adventure sport and eco-tourism destination.
• Clanwilliam, Graafwater, Citrusdal, Van Rhynsdorp, Nieuwoudtsville and Wupperthal are some of South Africa’s Rooibos-producing towns.
• Emerging ffarmers near Wupperthal and Heiveld also harvest some of the wild Rooibos growing there.