Production Process

The seeds are sown in seedbeds during March.

The seedlings are planted out in the fields during the months of July and August as the seedlings are very dependent on the winter rains for growth.

In 2014 we started experimenting with planting the seeds directly into the fields, to minimise stress on the seedlings, and this seems to be quite a success.

During September and October, the rooibos plants start flowering.

As these flowers are pollinated, seed pods start forming. These ripen and the seeds fall out around December. When this is done, the stems of the rooibos plant become red and woody and the plant is ripe and ready to be harvested.

The Rooibos shrubs are topped during March and April in their first year to stimulate growth and allow the plants to spread, thus the first crop of Rooibos tea sees the light. Thereafter the new growth is harvested every year between January and May, just before the rain season. The new growth is cut with sickles and tied into bundles which are then taken to the processing and drying plant where it is cut into different lengths fermented and then spread open on the drying court to be sun-dried.

After the rooibos has dried, it is picked up into bulk bags and stored in a shed, until it is packed in OUHUIS® packaging.