Rooibos

Rooibos , or Aspalathus linearis, is a <a href="/facts/Broom_(shrub)/M8KY0WDV">broom</a>-like member of the plant family <a href="/facts/Fabaceae/uxuHNdAr">Fabaceae</a> that grows in <a href="/facts/South_Africa/vvXQpLgq">South Africa</a>'s <a href="/facts/Fynbos/JrCbIbpU">Fynbos</a> biome.
The leaves are used to make a <a href="/facts/Caffeine/Hx6E2QC5">caffeine</a> free <a href="/facts/Herbal_tea/qdGBR9sY">herbal tea</a> that is called rooibos (especially in Southern Africa), bush tea, red tea, or redbush tea (predominantly in Great Britain).
The tea has been popular in <a href="/facts/Southern_Africa/Ak6C1vgf">Southern Africa</a> for generations, and since the 2000s has gained popularity internationally.
The tea has an earthy flavour that is similar to <a href="/facts/Yerba_mate/7mVdv6od">yerba mate</a> or <a href="/facts/Tobacco/bTD4RUPQ">tobacco</a>.
Rooibos was formerly classified as <a href="/facts/Psoralea/3740M78o">Psoralea</a> but is now thought to be part of <a href="/facts/Aspalathus/cp8jEhvf">Aspalathus</a> following <a href="/facts/Rolf_Dahlgren/35uNL9dV">Dahlgren</a> (1980).
The <a href="/facts/Specific_name_(botany)/31ckrsXv">specific name</a> of linearis was given by <a href="/facts/Nicolaas_Laurens_Burman/X2qYpKt4">Burman</a> (1759)
for the plant's linear growing structure and needle-like leaves.
The name rooibos is <a href="/facts/Afrikaans/jYqEPHmA">Afrikaans</a> deriving from rooi bos, meaning 'red bush'. The name is protected in South Africa and has <a href="/facts/Protected_designation_of_origin/bA7RPzwd">protected designation of origin</a> status in the EU.

Rooibos open-in-new

Rooibos