Tea tree EO Organic
Origin: Australia

• Details and product description

  Introduction:

  Melaleuca alternifolia is the smallest and most bushy of the species found in southeastern Australia, as its size rarely exceeds 5 meters. It grows near streams and in wet terrain. It is robust, grows rapidly, and has a highly developed root system. The 2 cm-long narrow leaves are glabrous, pointed and alternated. Small creamy white flowers with 5 petals appear scattered irregularly on the floral spike in spring. The fruits are small woody capsules whose seeds retain their germinating power for 3 years and sometimes longer. A whole series of Australian trees or shrubs are called tea trees. They all belong to the Myrtacea family, especially the genus Melaleuca. This family has the distinctive characteristic of containing glands of fragrant essences.

  History:

  The Melaleuca genus includes about 150 species of trees and shrubs, better known as tea trees. Their name comes from melas (black) and leukos (white) referring to the bark, which is dark on the trunk and the old branches, and white on the young branches. Tea tree, the common name, goes back to the history of Captain Cook of the British Royal Navy, who discovered a strange custom among the aborigines during the exploration of the southern coast of Australia in 1770. They infused the leaves of a tree to make a brown and spicy drink, which they used to cure various infections. He named this tree “tea tree.” It actually has nothing to do with tea, but the captain said that it reminded him of the English tea time. During the Second World War, a bottle of tea tree essential oil was part of the kit supplied to the Australian army and navy by the government.

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