Home / Herbal / South Africa / Honeybush

Herbal (tisane) · Heuningbos

Honeybush

Cyclopia, heuningbos

7.8/10 editor's score

A herbal tea from Cyclopia shrubs of South Africa's southern Cape. Named for its honey-scented flowers, it is sweeter than rooibos.

Caffeine-freeSweetSouth Africa
↓ Jump to brew guideAbout this herbCompare

Tisane, not from Camellia sinensis. Based on published sources, not yet tasted.

Dry honeybush, top-down

What you need

2.5 g honeybushHoneybush
250 ml water100°C
Steep 5:002 steeps
InfusionClear amber-red
Served inMug or cup

At a glance

A herbal tea from Cyclopia shrubs of South Africa's southern Cape.

CaffeineCaffeine-free
Beginner fit9.5 / 10From the editor's score
HarvestSummer and autumnCut in summer and autumn.
Pairs withRusks, Fruit cake, Milk and honeyLess good with very bitter foods
Grown asFynbos mountain slopesEastern Cape, Langkloof and coastal mountains
Served inMug or cupA general choice

About Honeybush

What sources say about the taste

Sources say honeybush tastes similar to rooibos but a little sweeter, and does not turn bitter when simmered 1.

01 · Aroma

First sip

Lift the cup and smell before you drink.

02 · Taste

Middle

Let it sit on the tongue for a moment.

03 · Finish

Finish

What stays after you swallow.

Hover or tap a noteBigger image and more dots mean a stronger note.

Notes and intensities are an editor's summary of published tasting notes, not our own tasting.

Where it is grown

Eastern CapeLangkloof and coastal mountainsSOUTH AFRICA
Plant
Cyclopia, about 20 species 1
Native to
Southern and south-western Cape 1
Name
From the honey scent of its flowers 1
Family
Legume family, like rooibos 1

More from Eastern Cape and South Africa.

History and culture

In rural districts a kettle of honeybush was once kept infusing on the stove, scenting the house 1.

Editor's score

7.8/10

Weighted across six criteria: flavour 30%, heritage 20%, availability 15%, value 15%, beginners 10%, versatility 10%.

Based on published sources, not yet tasted. Rates the plant, not a brand. How we score →

1086Flavour & complexity: 7.0Origin & heritage: 7.0Availability: 8.0Value: 9.0Beginner-friendliness: 9.5Versatility: 8.0Flavour 7.0Heritage 7.0Availability 8.0Value 9.0Beginners 9.5Versatility 8.0
Taste profile and caffeine

Profile is an editor's summary of published tasting notes, not a lab measurement or our own tasting.

Caffeine

Brewed coffee~95 mg
Black tea (average)~47 mg
Green tea (average)~28 mg
Honeybush0 mg

Honeybush is a herbal tea, not Camellia sinensis. Per 8 fl oz (240 ml) cup. Coffee and tea averages from Mayo ClinicC.

Harvest calendar

Harvested in the southern summer. Tap a month or a season.

The plant

Cyclopia shrubs of the fynbos, in the legume family 1.

How it is made
01Cutting

Shoots cut by hand.

02Chopping

Leaf and stem chopped.

03Oxidation

"Fermented" in heaps for colour and sweetness.

04Drying

Sun-dried.

Dry herb and infusion
Dry honeybushChopped amber-brown leaf and stem.
LiquorClear amber-red.
After steeping
Wet leafSoft brown leaf and twigs.

The colour swatch is an approximate guide, not a photograph.

Food pairings and storage

Works well

  • Rusks
  • Fruit cake
  • Milk and honey

Best avoided

  • Very bitter foods

Pairings are general suggestions from the tea's style, not tested matches.

Storage

  • Airtight, opaque container, away from light, heat and moisture.
  • Dried flowers and leaves lose aroma within about a year.
  • Buy small amounts and keep away from spices and coffee, which taint the smell.
Quality and buying

Fermented (red) and unfermented (green) styles.

Buying tips

  1. Long simmering is fine 1.
  2. Often blended with fruit.
FAQ
Honeybush or rooibos?

Both are South African "red teas". Honeybush is a little sweeter 1.

Find it inHerbal infusionsTeas from South AfricaEastern CapeCaffeine-freeSweetSouth Africa

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, "Cyclopia (plant)". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclopia_(plant)
  2. Mayo Clinic, "Caffeine content for coffee, tea, soda and more". www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20049372

Scores and content updated 30 Oct 2026.