Irie Orchard · Plant guides

Buchu

Agathosma betulina

Buchu (Agathosma betulina)
Image: Margriet B., Kleinmond, South Africa · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

A small fynbos shrub with blackcurrant-scented leaves, long used by the Khoikhoi and San for tea.

Type: shrub · perennial vegetables, greens and herbs
Hardiness: zones 9 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 5 ft tall, 4 ft wide
Harvest: year-round
From: Western Cape mountains
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.

Good for: food, pollinators, traditional use.

Native to: Cape of South Africa. Hardy in zones 9 to 11.

The story

Buchu belongs to the Khoikhoi and San, who mixed the powdered leaf with fat as a body ointment and drank it as a tea. It became one of the Cape's first exports, and wild plants are now protected from over-picking.

Planting

Full sun, acid sandy soil and sharp drainage, with moisture in winter. It suits a pot of gritty mix.

Growing

Tip-prune after flowering. No manure and no phosphorus fertiliser.

Harvest and use

Pick a few leaves for a strongly scented tea or to flavour vinegar or brandy. Use it sparingly.

What to watch for

It is a strong herb, not for pregnancy or daily use. Root rot in wet summers.

Safety

Medicinal uses here are shared as history, not advice. Kitchen amounts are fine for most people, but teas, tinctures and supplements can interact with medicines and aren't safe for everyone, especially in pregnancy, while breastfeeding, for children, or with liver or kidney problems. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before taking any plant as medicine.

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More perennial vegetables, greens and herbs

General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home