Rooibos

Known as Aspalathus linearis, rooibos is a reddish shrub in the fabaceous legume family. It grows exclusively in South Africa, especially on poor and acidic soils. Rooibos is about a metre wide and has a central branch around which thinner branches develop. Its green leaves are needle-like and average 1 cm tall. This bush gives small yellow flowers to the specific shape. Rooibos is abusively called red tea because of the red colour it gives when its dried leaves are prepared in infusion. Unlike many tea plants, it has no theine and has a low tannin content.