Notebook with strap Leaves on the Same Tree

Latin Name Melaleuca Alternifolia. Part of Plant Used Leaves Twigs. Source Australia. Extraction Method Steam Distillation. Tea Tree Essential Oil is the concentrated liquid compounds steam distilled from the leaves of the tree Melaleuca alternifolia, which is native to the northeast coast of New South Wales, Australia. The oil is known for its antiseptic and anti-fungal properties due to constituents called terpenoids, and is used in many personal care products and medicines today. Tea tree oil is said to relieve congestion, colds, coughs, and flu. It has been used to heal acne, fungal infections, dandruff, vaginal infections, haemorrhoids, and athlete's foot, and is believed to soothe aching muscles and joint injuries. When added to bath water it helps control bacteria. Tea tree oil is not to be taken internally and is usually used only on adults. Keep away from children and pets. Do not use if pregnant or lactating. The tea tree has been known for its medicinal properties since ancient times in eastern Australia. Australian aborigines used the crushed leaves to heal cuts, burns, sores, and infections for hundreds of years. They inhaled the oils from the crushed leaves to relieve coughs and colds, sprinkled this oil on wounds, applied poultices, and infused the leaves to make tea to soothe sore throats. It was between 1920 and 1930 that the essential oil of this tree became widely known and used in Europe for its antimicrobial properties.