The Evolution of South African Rooibos Tea

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The history of the rooibos plant and how it came to be known as a natural herbal tea is a fascinating journey through time.

Join us on this journey as we learn about the history of this humble but useful plant.

What is Rooibos Tea?

The name rooibos is derived from Afrikaans and directly translates to “red bush”, and this refers to the mature rooibos plant’s rich red-brown leaves at the end of a hot summer in its native range. 

The deep amber-red drink known as rooibos tea is made from the rooibos plant, which is endemic to South Africa’s Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces, which provide ideal growing conditions and climate for it to thrive.

And, while rooibos is well-known in the domestic market, it is less well-known internationally – though this is changing rapidly as health-conscious tea lovers around the world discover its taste and health benefits.


And, while green rooibos tea is available today, it is far less commonly processed than traditional red rooibos tea.

Fun facts about Rooibos Tea

  • The rooibos plant has a lifespan of up to 6 years and the ability to provide growers in the Cederberg with an average of 4 crops.
  • Rooibos is a member of the Fabaceae plant family and one of the 278 species in the Aspalathus genus. The latter part of its name, ‘linearis,’ refers to the plant’s needle-like leaves.
  • Its taproots reach a depth of about 2m beneath the ground. Above ground, the rooibos plant has a short, bushy stature and grows to about 1 metre in height. 
  • The rooibos plant is known for its very specific growing conditions, requiring a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and icy cold winters for healthy growth. Rainfall should be between 200mm and 450mm per year.

How Rooibos Tea began

The Khoisan people harvested the leaves of the Aspalathus Linearis plant more than 300 years ago, beginning the story of rooibos. 

Rooibos in the 1700s

Carl Thunberg, a European botanist, observed how indigenous people climbed mountains to find wild rooibos plants in 1772.  

His fascination with the practice sparked a huge interest in the tea beverage. 

Early Cape-Dutch settlers started drinking Rooibos tea as a cheaper alternative to expensive black tea from the East. 

Rooibos in the 1900s

Let’s jump forward 200 years to 1904 when Benjamin Ginsberg makes his first appearance. This young Russian immigrant (considered the father of commercial rooibos tea) joined his tea-trading father on the farm Rondegat in the Clanwilliam district of the Cederberg. Ginsberg became so infatuated with the plant that he began selling it as “Mountain Tea,” a herbal tea substitute.

Dr. Le Fras Nortier, a resourceful man, was the first to investigate Rooibos’ agricultural potential in 1930. He figured out how to get the seeds to germinate and developed a new cultivation method with the help of commercial farmer Olof Bergh. Production grew quickly all along the Cederberg mountain range’s slopes.

Then, in 1968, Dr. Annetjie Theron, a South African mother who was dealing with an allergic child, brought rooibos to the attention of the world. It reportedly helped Theron’s baby’s colic. Her book, Allergies: An Amazing Discovery, was published. Hundreds of studies were conducted after the publication of the book to learn more about the antioxidants and other health benefits of rooibos tea.

As a result of this new medical understanding of rooibos, its popularity skyrocketed, particularly in South Africa. 

Rooibos in the 2000s 

The EU granted rooibos PDO and GI status earlier this year, making it the first African food to do so. PDO stands for protected designations of origin, and GI stands for geographical indications protection.It is agreed that rooibos/red bush tea sold in the EU can only be called rooibos if it is grown in South Africa’s Cederberg region.

Since November 2019, a Traditional Knowledge Levy has been in place, which is an important development in the role of rooibos in our country’s heritage.

How was Rooibos produced historically?

  • In precolonial times, rooibos grew wild in parts of the Western and Northern Cape, but the cultivation and production of rooibos began at the end of the 19th century, when it was discovered how to scarify seeds.
  • The original production methods were slightly different but are still involved in the way we cultivate authentic rooibos today, despite the fact that the areas of cultivation haven’t changed.
  • The leaves of the rooibos plant were harvested and placed in hessian sacks before being transported from the mountains by donkeys.
  • The finer stems and leaves were hacked with axes, ‘bruised’ with mallets, and soaked in water before being piled up to ferment. Following the fermentation process, rooibos was dried in the scorching African sun until it was ready to be brewed and consumed.

What Does Modern Rooibos Production Look Like?

There are many rooibos producers in the Western and Northern Cape provinces of South Africa, and there may be subtle differences, but the information below will give you a thorough understanding of how rooibos is produced at the famous Klipopmekaar farm.

  • The seed is organically germinated and planted in their nursery in late January each year.
  • Each year, a few million small organic seedlings are transplanted into their fields using planting machines and by hand after four months of careful nurturing as the winter rains begin and the temperatures drop.
  • For the rooibos seeds to form strong, healthy roots, this farm uses conservation tillage and develops non-invasive furrows in the fields at Klipopmekaar. 
  • The Rooibos is then harvested and organized into 10-15kg bundles towards the end of the year, from December to February.
  • These bundles are then transported to their cutting-edge processing facility and tea court by truck.
  • The bundles are sorted and carefully fed into their purpose-built cutting machines when they arrive at the on-farm processing facility. 
  • The cutting machines keep a consistent cut length to ensure a neat and consistent final product appearance. 
  • Variable speed drives are then used to change feeding rates, allowing them to produce a variety of uniform cut lengths, ranging from short/teabag cuts to long cuts, depending on their clients’ needs.
  • Following the cutting stage, rooibos is carefully bruised, aired, and watered to induce enzymatic oxidation, which occurs during fermentation and results in the raw plant matter changing color from bright green to a deep red or amber color. 
  • The fermented rooibos is spread out across their tea court after the sweating process and allowed to dry completely naturally in the hot African sun.
  • In less than 24 hours, the cutting, fermenting, and drying processes are completed, and the freshly made rooibos tea is “picked/sucked up” by a special machine and fed into the 400kg bulk bags.
  • For quality assurance and traceability, the rooibos is then sampled, tested, graded, and labeled.

What does the future of Rooibos tea look like?

The rooibos industry appears to have a bright future, with a variety of opportunities emerging as the product and its various benefits become more well-known both locally and internationally.

Exports of rooibos tea have increased in recent years as the benefits of this incredible plant have been recognized by the international market.

As a raw ingredient, Rooibos is increasingly being used in other product categories such as skin care, the beverage industry, and even as a nutricosmetic and health supplement. However, rooibos, like all industries at the moment, faces its own set of challenges.
Annual crop production increased in 2018, but with 2020 and 2021 presenting uncertain circumstances due to COVID-19, rooibos production and export, as well as the industry as a whole, will likely need to recover from both local and global economic challenges.

Beyond the turbulence caused by the global pandemic, climate change plays a significant role in the challenges.

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