Rooibos facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rooibos
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Genus:	Aspalathus
Species:	A. linearis
Binomial name
Aspalathus linearis (N.L.Burm.) R.Dahlgr.

Flowers

Plant

Rooibos, meaning 'red bush'; is a broom-like member of the plant family Fabaceae that grows in South Africa's fynbos.

The leaves are used to make a herbal tea that is called by the names: rooibos (especially in Southern Africa), bush tea, red tea, or redbush tea (predominantly in Great Britain). The tea has been popular in Southern Africa for generations, but is now consumed in many countries worldwide. It is sometimes spelled rooibosch in accordance with the original Dutch for 'red bush'. The tea has a taste and color somewhat similar to hibiscus tea, with more or less of an earthy flavor like yerba mate.

The generic name Aspalathus comes from the Greek name aspalathos for Calicotome villosa, which has very similar growth and flowers to the rooibos plant. The specific name of linearis comes from the plant's linear growing structure and needle-like leaves.

Images for kids

• 

  Green rooibos tea

• 

  Rooibos tea in a glass

• 

  Rooibos tea with milk

• 

  A rooibos-infused liqueur and rooibos tea

• 

  A. linearis response to fire. Plants native to the Fynbos eco-region, like rooibos, are fire dependent, however rooibos varieties exhibit two different adaptions to fire.

See also

In Spanish: Aspalathus linearis para niños