Honeybush

Plant photography
coming soon

Photo Credit

—

1 of 1

Common Names

Afrikaans

Heuningbos · Bergtee

English

Honeybush · Honey Tea

Khoikhoi

not documented

Ndebele

not documented

San

not documented

Sepedi

not documented

Sesotho

not documented

Setswana

not documented

Swati

not documented

Tsonga

not documented

Venda

not documented

Xhosa

not documented

Zulu

not documented

Common Name

Honeybush

Scientific Name

Cyclopia genistoides

Family

Fabaceae

Native Region

Fynbos regions of the Western Cape (Overberg and Garden Route areas).

Annual
Production

450–800 t

Export Revenue

R40–80m

Export Markets

Germany, Netherlands, USA

Livelihoods

1,000–2,000

Protection & Benefit Sharing

GI Pending Geographical Indication application in progress. Western Cape fynbos designation will protect against international counterfeiting.

No BSA No formal agreement. Khoikhoi communities brewed Honeybush for generations before Dutch settlers arrived. Note: the Rooibos Benefit Sharing Agreement (RBSA, 2019) is confirmed to be Rooibos-specific; no separate, dedicated Honeybush BSA was found.

Organic Certified organic production growing rapidly; organic segment commands 25–40% price premium in EU market.

Wild Harvest Predominantly cultivated. Wild harvest minimal; sustainable cultivation practices well established in Overberg and Garden Route.

Provinces

ECEastern Cape

FSFree State

GTGauteng

KZNKwaZulu-Natal

LIMLimpopo

MPMpumalanga

NCNorthern Cape

NWNorth West

WCWestern Cape

Key

Registered farm

Certified organic

Introduction

Honeybush is a caffeine-free fynbos shrub endemic to the Western Cape. Its leaves are fermented and dried to produce a naturally sweet, antioxidant-rich herbal tea with significant metabolic and hormonal health benefits.

Active Compounds

Mangiferin
Isomangiferin
Hesperidin
Formononetin
Luteolin

Traditional Uses

Wellness tonic
Respiratory relief
Menopausal support
Digestive aid
Infant colic

Clinically Validated

Antioxidant and antidiabetic activity of Mangiferin (Joubert et al., 2008)
Phytoestrogenic activity of formononetin (Verhoeyen et al., 2012)
Bone density preservation (Ovariectomised rat model)
Inhibition of adipogenesis (Muller et al., 2011)

Cultivation

Mediterranean fynbos; acidic, nutrient-poor soil; winter rainfall (300–700mm).

Overberg, Garden Route, Klein Karoo, Boland

Commercial & Trade Notes

Established cultivation; certified organic; SAHTA-regulated fermentation processes.

Indigenous Knowledge

Khoikhoi staple for respiratory health and tonic use. Integrated into Cape Malay and Afrikaner folk medicine as a multi-generational household tea for general wellness and infant health.

Health