Coastal Tea

• Coastal tea (Cyclopia genistoides) is a small shrub with woody stems and short, needle-like leaves. This member of the Fabaceae family blossoms in the spring with bright yellow flowers. Coastal tea is a native plant to Africa that grows naturally in the mountains of the Cape Peninsula. In order to accommodate the production of honeybush tea, growers naturalized the coastal tea shrub for cultivation in the sandy soils of the southern area of the Cape. This plant enjoys full sun and well-draining soil. Coastal tea requires regular pruning and has sensitivity to severe frost. Kustee is the African name for the coastal tea shrub.
  
  

Mountain Tea

• Mountain tea (Cyclopia intermedia) is a variety of honeybush that thrives between the areas of Port Elizabeth and Langkloof, in the Kouga Mountains. The African name for the mountain tea shrub is bergtee. During September through October, this honeybush species flowers with shiny yellow blossoms that emit a honey fragrance. Growers have to travel to the mountains to harvest the shoots of the mountain tea plant because this species of honeybush resists attempts to establish the plant elsewhere. After harvest, growers cut the plant close to the ground to reduce the chance of the plant's stems dying. Mountain tea is a self-sprouting shrub that regenerates itself within three years for harvest.
  
  

Marshland Tea

• Marshland tea (Cyclopia subternata) is a type of honeybush shrub endemic to South Africa. Vleitee is the African name for the marshland tea shrub. This Fynbos Biome shrub supplies less shoots than the mountain tea species for the production of honeybush tea. Marshland tea has elongated needle-like leaves with a narrow width. In the months of September and October, the marshland tea shrub forms small flowers. The brilliant yellow-hued flowers have a sweet aroma that draws pollinators to the shrub.
  
  

Heidelberg-tee

• Heidelberg-tee (Cyclopia sessiliflora) is a species of honeybush named after the town Heidelberg, South Africa. Heidelberg-tee grows within the local mountain range of Heidelberg. This honeybush shrub has sparse thin leaves that resemble needles.The foliage of the Heidelberg-tee has a trifoliolate arrangement and when crushed discharge a sweet smell. The Heidelberg-tee flourishes with luminous yellow blooms from early- to mid-fall. Harvest time starts when the Heidelberg-tee shrubs commences flowering.