Essential Tea Tree Oil - Organic

Tea tree, also known as Melaleuca alternifolia, belongs to the Myrtaceae family. It's a shrub that can grow to 5 to 6 meters in height, with bark that peels off in thin strips. It grows wild or cultivated in the humid regions of Australia, the Comoros, Madagascar, Zambia and South Africa.

Tea tree leaves are alternate, lance-shaped and deep green, releasing a powerful aromatic scent. Traditional Australian healers used these leaves to treat various ailments, wounds and injuries, much like Malagasy healers used ravintsara. This practice was observed by James Cook and adopted aboard his ships, improving the living comfort of sailors.

The white flowers of tea tree are arranged in spikes, distinguishing it from niaouli. Tea tree essential oil, obtained through steam distillation of the leafy branches, is a clear, colorless or pale yellow liquid.