Melaleuca alternifolia aka Melaleuca linariifolia var. alternifolia, Melaleuca alternifolia Cheel, Melaleuca dissiflora var. alternifolia leaves, steam distilled, Australian cultivar grown in South Africa.

Aroma: Tee Tree essential oil has a fresh, antiseptic and medicinal scent. It also has characteristic mint and spice back-notes.

History: The Koori (aboriginal) people of Australia have long used Tea tree oil; similarly, Tea tree has a long history of use within the field of aromatherapy. In World War Two, the producers and the cutters of Tea Tree were exempt from military service until enough essential oil had been accumulated. The oil was a highly valued product as it was issued to each soldier and sailor as part of their kit in order to treat tropical infections and infected wounds.

Colour: Clear with a Yellow Tinge

Consistency: Thin

Perfumery Note: Middle

Strength of Initial Aroma: Medium

Possible Uses: Acne, athlete's foot, candida, chicken pox, cold sores, colds, corns, cuts, flu, insect bites, itching, migraine, oily skin, ringworm, sinusitis, sores, spots, urethritis, warts, whooping cough. [Julia Lawless, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1995), 56-67.]

Chemical constituents: Terpinen-4-ol: 30 – 48 %, 1,8-Cineol: Trace – 15 %, γ-Terpinene: 10 – 28 %: α-Terpinene: 5 – 13 %, α-Pinene: 1 – 6 %, Sabinene: Trace – 3.5 %, Terpinolene: 1.5 – 5 %, Limonene: 0.5 – 4 %, p-Cymene: 0.5 – 12 %

Constituents: Terpinen-4-ol, Alpha-Terpineol, Cineole, Pinene, Alpha Terpenene, Beta-Caryophyllene [Shirley Price, The Aromatherapy Workbook (Hammersmith, London: Thorsons, 1993), 54-5.]

Safety Information: May cause sensitization in some. [Julia Lawless, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1995), 168.]

Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand does not indicate any special precautions when using this oil. [Robert Tisserand, Essential Oil Safety (United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone, 1995), 211.]

Do not take internally.

Photo thanks to Geoff Derrin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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