The Honeybush Plant
Honeybush tea is caffeine free and it also has a lower tannin content than black tea. It is packed with a blend of powerful antioxidants and is thus beneficial to your health.
Honeybush probably gets its name from the yellow-scented flowers that cover the bushes during spring. The flowers were originally used to make tea. It has since been discovered that the characteristic aroma and flavour of the tea does not only come from the flowers and today the tea is harvested before flowering.
Honeybush tea can be enjoyed hot or cold. The tea can be processed in two ways. The more popular traditional way is to ferment the cut branches. This method produces a sweeter tea.
The other method produces a “green” tea which has higher antioxidant levels.
Honeybush is unique to South Africa and grows naturally in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces. There are 23 known species each with their own distinct flavour. The species Cyclopia maculata only grows in the Genadendal region.
Honeybush At Genadendal
Honeybush has been harvested in the Genadendal area for decades. The Genadendal Honeybush Project was started with the aim of helping Genadendal’s small scale farmers to cultivate and harvest Cyclopia maculata and allow the community to be a significant role player in the formal industry.
Honeybush Tea Punch Recipe
Make 3.5 litres
You will need
• 1 litre strong honeybush tea (boiled and allow to cool)
• 500 ml pineapple juice
• 500 ml granadilla juice
• 1 litre soda water or lemonade
• freshly chopped mint leaves
• 2 x115g cans of granadilla pulp
• fresh fruit (eg bananas, strawberries or pineapple)
• crushed ice
Method
Make the tea and leave to cool.
Add the juice.
Add the soda water or lemonade.
Add the granadilla pulp.
Before serving, cut the fresh fruit into smaller pieces and add.
Add the mint leaves.
Add the crushed ice.
Serve immediately.