Honeybush
The honeybush was
discovered in the 18th century in South Africa, just like the Rooibos.
The honeybush shrub has brightly glowing yellow blossoms which smell
like honey. Thanks to this look it got its name. The natives also call
it the vegetable bush because it grows long fruits and has knotty
roots.
The wild-growing honeybush grows exclusively in the small mountains in
the so-called Longkloof district. The bush grows to a height of 1.50 m
and prospers especially well on humid soil.
In the early 90s, Dr. Hannes De Lange of the National Botanical
Institute Kirstenbosh close to Capetown rediscovered the honeybush. He
cultivated the plant and marketed it. Today, honeybush is commercially
grown on 35 different plantations and the wild-growing bushes are
spared.
Other sources say that, until today, no
commercial cultivation of honeybush exists because the demand is not as
high as for the Rooibos.
Three different qualities of Honeybush exist: large, medium and fine. The larger the cut, the less sweet is the taste.
Honeybush
can be better flavoured than Rooibos, because it does not form lumps as
quickly. However, it has to be noted that the Honeybush has a stronger
sweet character which does not harmonise well with just any other
flavour.