Description

Aspalathus linearis, rooibos or red bush, is a reed-like leguminous shrub of the family Fabaceae, endemic exclusively to a small geographic area — the Cederberg Mountains of the Western Cape, South Africa — where it grows in shallow, acidic, nutrient-poor sandy soils of the Cape Floristic Region (fynbos biome), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The plant has been consumed as a traditional tea beverage by the Khoisan peoples of the region for centuries. Commercial rooibos production began in the 1930s under the cultivation initiative of botanist Pieter le Fras Nortier. The dried and fermented needle-like leaves produce a naturally sweet, amber-red infusion that is entirely caffeine-free and low in tannins. Rich in dihydrochalcone antioxidants — principally aspalathin (unique to rooibos) and nothofagin — the tea is incorporated in formulations for immune support and skin health.