The bush

Rooibos (pronounced Roy-Boss) simply means 'red bush' in Afrikaans. Its

name comes from the reddish brown stalks that hold sharp, bright green
needle-shaped leaves that turn a reddy-orange colour when fermented. The
shrub itself grows up to 2m (5ft) tall and in spring it produces small yellow
flowers, reminiscent of a gorse or broom.
Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) grows only in the Cederberg mountains, about
250 km (155 miles) north of Cape Town, surviving the poor, acidic soil and
droughts by growing tap roots up to 2m long covered in nitrogen-producing
nodules. Efforts to cultivate it elsewhere have failed so far.
The tea
The sun-dried leaves and twigs are both used in the tea. The more common
version of the tea is the 'black' (or red) fermented tea. There is another
unfermented 'green' version, which comes out as a pale yellow colour when
brewed. The harvest takes place between January and March each year.
A botanist called Carl Humberg first introduced the Dutch settlers to the
plant in the 18th century. It was first marketed to the outside world in 1904
as Mountain Tea by a Russian immigrant named Benjamin Ginsberg.
Traditionally rooibos is served black with lemon and sugar or honey, although
some do add milk. In recent years however, the cappuccino culture has
resulted in all sorts of variations from iced tea to lattes. As the health claims
have spread, rooibos has also begun to be used in everything from
handcreams to soups.
Health properties
Rooibos is caffeine-free, low in tannin and high in polyphenolic antioxidants.
The green tea has 25% more antioxidants than the black version. It also
contains significant amounts of copper and fluoride. It is said to be good for
digestive problems and is used by South Africans as a treatment for babies
with colic.
Further studies are ongoing but huge possible claims are being made for the
plant with suggestions that it may be able to help with headaches, asthma
and, if applied to the skin, with conditions from eczema to acne. There are
even suggestions that it may have a role to play in treating cancer and heart
disease and as an anti-ageing agent. There are no known downsides to
drinking it.
http://goafrica.about.com/od/SouthAfricanFoodandDrink/a/rooibos-tea.htm