Where Does Tea Tree Oil Come From and What Can it Do?

Tea oil, which goes by the synonym tea tree essential oil, comes from the plant known by the Latin botanical name of Melaleuca alternifolia. Although the evergreen tree, which can also grow as a tall shrub, is native to sunny and moist parts of Australia and produces leaves from which tea essential oil is produced, tea tree essential oil is found in a number of personal care products. These include lotions, shampoos, soaps, antiseptics and deodorants. There are many reasons why tea tree essential oil is a popular additive to these products.

Tea essential oil and organic tea oil is often found in personal care products because it is a naturally-occurring antiseptic. It may help with insect stings, burns, cuts and infections of the skin. It may be used for getting rid of lice as well as athlete’s foot and warts. It may also help the body fight bacteria, fungi and viruses, and may bring on sweating.

Organic tea oil is also popular in aromatherapy, which uses plant essential oils to bolster the body and mind. Tea tree essential oil has been described as having a warm and fresh yet slightly medicinal fragrance. Aromatherapy diffusers allow you to use organic tea tree oil so that its unique scent fills a room. Diffusers come in both large and small sizes, and all require a heat source in order to warm the essential oil to release its fragrance. Small diffusers are available to be worn around the neck, relying on body heat to warm the organic tea oil. Automobile diffusers are small enough to hang from the rear-view mirror or plug directly into the vehicle’s cigarette lighter. Candle diffusers use a lit candle under a shallow basin that holds the tea tree essential oil. Electric diffusers with built-in fans are useful for spreading the scent of organic tea tree oil throughout an entire room.

Certain essential oils are also classified organic. This means that the trees have been grown in such a way that they utilized no synthetic chemical fertilizers or pesticides at any point in their growth cycle. It also means that the property on which the plants grew had to be synthetic fertilizer- and pesticide-free for a length of time prior to organic plant growth. Finally, the grower had to keep detailed records about how the plants were grown and be willing to undergo on-site inspections. In the United States, the United States Department of Agriculture and National Organic Program set out the rules for compliance for organic certification; authorized agencies then certify products, including organic tea tree oil, that meet those standards.