Honeybush tea

Honeybush tea icon

Our honeybush grows in the Langkloof in South Africa, where we sustainably harvest wild plants from the mountains (Cyclopia intermedia), and successfully cultivate honeybush on farmlands (Cyclopia subternata, longifolia, maculata).

The caffeine-free tea produced by fermenting these species has a sweet honey flavour and several health-promoting properties, thanks to antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds.

Blending and selection

The flavour of honeybush is wonderfully diverse. It takes on different characteristics depending on the species, provenance, harvesting, fermentation and processing. No wild honeybush plant is the same, and even cultivated plants absorb the particular quality of a farmer’s care for his crops. All this may go some way to explaining why honeybush tea cannot be seen or traded as a single commodity.

We make sense of this incredible complexity with our meticulous selection, separation and blending. Our in-house experts dedicate a lot of time and energy to sourcing and harnessing the tea into fine blends of varied taste profiles.

A wide variety of flavours

As with any agricultural product, the flavour of honeybush tea will vary depending on the area where it was grown, the time it was harvested, and the way it was processed. We provide four different species of honeybush, each with distinct flavor profiles. We think it’s important to celebrate the diversity nature gives us, and we work with our customers to find the species or blend that suits their needs.

Honeybush Tea

Wild harvested honeybush

Wild harvested honeybush

Cyclopia intermedia is harvested from the wild. It is harvested by hand on the mountain slopes, by a dedicated team of harvesters, who adhere to the strictest guidelines on sustainable harvesting.

The tea that is produced by fermenting Cyclopia intermedia has a very distinct flavour, and is quite different from the cultivated teas. The tea has a wide range of aromas and flavours that range from subtle-sweet (honey), floral and tangy, to soft woody. Each cup is reminiscent of the environment where it was harvested; a hint of the natural terroir in each cup.

SPECIES: Cyclopia intermedia
ORIGIN: Langkloof, South Africa
PLANT PART: Leaves & stems
DESCRIPTION: Also known as Bergtee; found on high, south-facing mountain slopes and can only be harvested every 3 years; mostly wild harvested as cultivated production is extremely difficult
METHOD: Fermented
LANDSCAPE CONTRIBUTION: By implementing sustainable harvesting techniques, this tea can be harvested from the wild, selectively and sustainably. This prevents the extinction of the species and ensures the conservation of Fynbos vegetation
ORGANIC CERTIFICATION: EOS / NOP
PRODUCED BY: Langkloof Honeybush Co

› Shop online: 1kg, 5kg & 10kg
› Bulk orders: 25kg, 100-350kg, per pallet (350kg), larger volumes on request
Wild harvested honeybush

Cultivated honeybush

We work with farmers on the sustainable cultivation of three species of honeybush tea: Cyclopia subtenata, Cyclopia maculata and Cyclopia longifolia. These teas are produced on a number of farms in the Langkloof. The cultivation of honeybush tea ensures that this industry can grow sustainably by removing harvesting pressure off natural populations, especially for species that are threatened with the risk of extinction.

Each species has its own flavor profile and characteristics. The wide ranging flavours and aromas of these teas range from floral to honey, from caramel to apricot, from bold to subtle.

SPECIES: Cyclopia subtenata, Cyclopia maculata and Cyclopia longifolia
ORIGIN: Langkloof, South Africa
PLANT PART: Leaves & stems
CYCLOPIA SUBTENATA: Also known as Marsh Tea or Vleitee; grows naturally in the Langkloof and is highly suitable for cultivation.
CYCLOPIA LONGIFOLIA: Also known as van Stadens tea; this species of honeybush is highly threatened in the wild, with just a few known populations right outside of the Langkloof in van Stadens Gorge. It is cultivated to protect wild populations from over-harvesting.
CYCLOPIA MACULATA: Also known as needle-leaf honeybush, this plant naturally occurs in a large area across the Western Cape; although not indigenous to the Langkloof, this is an excellent area for cultivation. The species favors river courses, making it especially vulnerable to competition from invasive alien trees.
METHOD: Fermented
PRODUCED BY: Langkloof Honeybush Co

› Shop online: 1kg, 5kg & 10kg
› Bulk orders: 25kg, 100-350kg, per pallet (350kg), larger volumes on request
Honeybush blends

Blends

We have created some outstanding blends from our 2019 harvest – all unique in taste and flavor. During the blend development process we aimed to highlight the most unique features of different species and vintages into distinct blends that bring out the most unique, and diverse range of flavours possible. Some blends consist solely of wild harvested Cyclopia intermedia, while other blends are a mix of species to get the most special taste profile. If you are interested in the selection that we currently have available, please contact us.

SPECIES: Cyclopia subtenata, Cyclopia maculata, Cyclopia longifolia and/or Cyclopia intermedia
ORIGIN: Langkloof, South Africa
PLANT PART: Leaves & stems
DESCRIPTION: Different blends are available on request – contact us to enquire about the selection currently available
METHOD: Fermented
PRODUCED BY: Langkloof Honeybush Co

› Shop online: 1kg, 5kg & 10kg
› Bulk orders: 25kg, 100-350kg, per pallet (350kg), larger volumes on request

How it’s grown

Sustainable wild harvesting

The Honeybush Company (formerly known as The Langkloof Honeybush Company) works with farmers to implement sustainable wild harvesting plans developed for each property. Wild populations of Cyclopia intermedia growing in the mountainous areas of the Langkloof are harvested in full compliance with sustainable wild harvesting guidelines and harvesters are trained to harvest in compliance with these guidelines. Our wild harvested tea is EU and USDA Organically Certified by Control Union.

Sustainable cultivation practices

Other Honeybush species (Longifolia, maculata and subtenata) are cultivated by farmers in the Langkloof Valley who collaborate with the Langkloof Honeybush Company. Though they are not yet organically certified, crops are grown using organic farming techniques and never sprayed with pesticides. A costly process, certification is often prohibitive for individual farmers, though the company is exploring whether it might be feasible.