Botanical atlas

Tea Tree

Melaleuca alternifolia

Long before it reached apothecary shelves worldwide, tea tree grew wild in the boggy lowlands of northern New South Wales, where the Bundjalung people and other Aboriginal Australian nations crushed its narrow, fragrant leaves to inhale for coughs and congestion, and pressed the pulp onto the skin for cuts, insect bites, and irritation. Its now-familiar name is said to trace back to eighteenth century sailors, including members of Captain Cook's crew, who steeped the pungent leaves as a substitute tea during long voyages along the Australian coast. It was not until the 1920s, when an Australian chemist studied its oil's properties, that tea tree began its journey from a regional bush remedy to one of the most recognized aromatic plants in the world.

Safety.

Tea tree oil is toxic if swallowed, even in small amounts, and has caused serious poisoning in children and pets; never take it internally. Always dilute it in a carrier oil before topical use since it can irritate skin and cause allergic contact dermatitis, and use caution or avoid it during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and in young children due to possible hormone-disrupting effects with repeated exposure.