rooibus

Also known as “rooibus tea bag”,“rooibos”. Rooibus is generic for the dried red needles of a medicinal herb plant of the same name, native to South Africa. Infusions of rooibus inherit its reddish brown hue and rich, nutty, almost malty flavor. A “green” rooibus (unoxidized) is also produced, but this style is relatively rare and expensive. Note: rooibus is sometimes sold as "red tea". This nomenclature is problematic, because rooibus is not tea, and the fully-oxidized tea that Westerners commonly call “black tea” is actually called “red tea” in China.