Tea Tree - Melaleuca alternifolia

Common Names: Tea Tree, Melaleuca, Australian tea tree, narrow-leaved tea tree, ti-tree, snow in summer, narrow-leaved paperbark, caju puti, Aceite del Árbol de Té (Spanish), Huile de Melaleuca (French), Huile de Thérier (French), oil of tea tree, tea tree oil, Melaleuca oil, Oleum Melaleucae, oil of Melaleuca alternifolia, Teebaumöl (German), Olejek z drzewa herbacianego (Polish), teafa oil (Hungarian), oil of tea tree (English, international), Melaleuca alternifolia, Árbol del Té (Spanish), essential oil of tea tree

Latin Name: Melaleuca alternifolia

Origin: Australia

Short Introduction

The tea tree is a favorite among herbalists, gardeners, and advocates of alternative healing. It can be propagated by seeds or cuttings. For those growing from seed, sowing is best done in spring, though it can occur later in summer. Tea tree seeds should be gently laid on the surface of a flower soil substrate (preferably slightly acidic, possibly with peat added) and need not be pressed into the soil. Throughout germination, the substrate should remain consistently moist. Optimal germination typically occurs within two weeks, especially if covered with aluminum foil or glass.

Young tea tree plants develop for another 6–8 weeks after sprouting and should be given plenty of space—ideally in a 15 cm diameter pot. After adapting to their new environment, the plants grow quickly and can be moved to a larger container with a peat-based, slightly acidic mix (1:1 ratio). Regular feeding with fertilizer for acid-loving plants supports optimal tea tree growth. Seeds are usually sourced from genetically robust and verified parent trees—one tree can supply seed for nearly an entire plantation.

At the end of summer and the onset of autumn, it’s best to bring tea tree plants indoors to protect them from outdoor frosts. However, indoor temperatures should not be overly warm, as tea trees prefer a mildly cool climate in winter, making a winter garden or hallway ideal. While some sources note that tea trees can resist mild frost, the general principle is that the plant is not frost-hardy, so exposure to freezing should be avoided until late spring, at which point the tea tree can again be placed outdoors.

Tea tree prefers sunny to semi-shaded locations and, during summer, can be kept outside even in temperate zones, provided nighttime temperatures do not drop below 15°C. The soil around tea tree should be kept moist due to its marshy origins and delicate roots.

Today, Melaleuca alternifolia is cultivated extensively, with sophisticated plantations yielding up to 30,000 saplings per hectare. Around 10 liters of distilled oil can be produced from one ton of leaves and up to 200 kg of oil is obtained per hectare annually. However, the essential oil content in cultivated plants is generally lower than in wild specimens.

Tea tree can be grown with care in colder climates, provided summers are spent outdoors and winters in a conservatory. Native to Australia, it is a hardy species there, but does not survive outside in frosty winters elsewhere as it is not frost-resistant.

Detailed Description

A traditional Australian tree, the tea tree is highly valued as a potent natural antiseptic for bites, burns, and even more serious injuries.

Botanical Information

Melaleuca alternifolia, commonly known as tea tree, is a small tree that generally reaches an average height of about 5 meters, occasionally growing as tall as 7 meters with a width of 3–4 meters. Its crown is often bush-like, with distinctive white, papery bark. The leaves are soft, straight, bright green, and citrus-scented, measuring 10–40 mm long and about 1 mm wide. Leaf glands are rich in essential oils. Flowers are white to yellowish, developing in characteristic fluffy spikes 2–6 cm long, blooming mainly from spring to early summer. The fruit is a cup-shaped capsule about 3 mm in diameter, distributed along the branches.

Origin and Distribution

Tea tree is native to the swampy boglands of the northeastern coast of New South Wales and southeastern Queensland, Australia, often thriving along streams and wetlands where it dominates the landscape. Historically, it was even considered a weed. Today, cultivation occurs on specialized plantations designed to mimic natural tea tree habitats, though large-scale cultivation remains mainly on the Australian continent.

Usage / Dosage

Tea tree has been used for centuries by Indigenous Australians to treat a wide range of ailments. European knowledge of the plant dates to 1770, when Captain Cook’s expedition encountered it and used the leaves to make a tea, giving rise to the common name ‘tea tree.’ Botanist Sir Joseph Banks brought the leaves to England for further study, greatly increasing its popularity in Europe.

For many years, tea tree oil functioned as a “first aid kit in a bottle”—in World War II, nearly every English soldier was issued a vial. While interest declined with the introduction of antibiotics, the realization of antibiotic side effects and resistance has led to renewed global demand for tea tree oil and its products.

In both traditional and modern herbal medicine, the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia are predominantly used. Tea tree leaves are a powerful natural antiseptic, protecting skin and helping to prevent external infections. The active compounds readily penetrate deep tissues, particularly benefiting exuding and infected wounds and increasing their effectiveness in such conditions. Externally, tea tree is used for burns (including sunburn), itching and swelling from insect bites, various types of skin irritation, vaginal infections, and athlete’s foot.

It is also traditionally used for muscle pain, arthritic conditions, cramps, and, when used in massage, for inflamed gums. Tea tree oil can provide pain relief in cases of periodontal disease, mouth ulcers, and leg ulcers. Gargling with tea tree preparations is helpful for sore throats, pharyngitis, and throat swelling. There are reports of tea tree leaves being effective for treating wounds and insect bites on pets such as dogs and cats. One notable advantage is that tea tree readily penetrates affected areas without irritating or damaging tissues, even with prolonged use. There are no documented cases of allergy to tea tree oil.

Pure distilled tea tree oil is one of the most powerful natural antiseptics, surpassing many classic agents used in disinfectants. It is proven to destroy certain strains of bacteria, the structural proteins of fungal cells, and disrupts the formation of yeast, providing a strong antifungal effect. There is also evidence of tea tree oil inhibiting viral infections. The oil has a mild anti-inflammatory effect, and its components can desensitize tissues slightly. It is also a well-known natural insect repellent.

Traditionally, tea tree leaves are used for psychological support during times of stress. Their essential oils help uplift mood and promote a sense of well-being, counteracting fatigue, exhaustion, and apathy, while enhancing feelings of safety and overall wellness. They are also used to relieve stress.

The Bundjalung people of eastern Australia use tea tree in their traditional medicine, inhaling vapors from crushed leaves to treat coughs and colds. Dried and crushed leaves have been used as poultices for wounds, and infusions from fresh leaves served in the treatment of sore throats and skin problems.

Modern clinical research, first on animal models and later on cell lines, has demonstrated the strong antioxidant properties of tea tree leaves, especially against environmental oxidants. On a molecular level, this is due to the neutralization of highly damaging substances—a hallmark of antioxidant activity. This also reinforces tea tree’s function in supporting the immune system and anti-inflammatory pathways fighting infections.

Further studies highlight positive effects for premenstrual complaints and issues related to spasmodic and uncontrolled smooth muscle movement. International sources also describe tea tree essential oil for enhanced menopausal comfort and helping balance hormonal fluctuations, promoting calm and physical and mental well-being.

Active Compounds

Tea tree oil is internationally standardized by ISO 4730, which requires the oil to contain 15 components to be labeled as authentic tea tree oil with its distinctive fresh, camphor-like scent. True tea tree essential oil contains around 98 individual substances—mainly monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, aromatic alcohols, or isoprenes—divided into six chemical “families” with closely related structures. These include derivatives of terpinen-4-ol, terpinolene, and four types of cineole. Terpinenol derivatives seem responsible for the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects, while cineole appears to have anti-allergic activity. Other compounds derive from sabinene, myrcene, phellandrene, limonene, cymene, terpinolene, and linalool.

Traditional Dosage

Tea tree oil is typically for external use and is not recommended for internal use. Dosage and method vary according to the condition and affected area, but the general rule is to apply 1–2 pure drops to the area (skin, nail, hair, or wound), or more drops diluted, 2–4 times daily. Tea tree oil can also be incorporated into ointments or gels for home use. For vaginal issues, suppositories containing tea tree oil can be used every 12 hours for several days.