First Aid Tea Tree
Native to Australia, the tea tree flourishes in the wet swampy ground of northern New South Wales and Queensland.
The leaves and small branches are picked year round for distillation into essential oils.
The centuries before Europeans arrived, native Australians used the leaves of the tree as an antiseptic. Captain Cook named the ‘tea tree’. This tree rapidly became a valued remedy used by the European settlers to treat cuts, burns and insect bites. Tea tree soon became widely recognized as a powerful disinfectant.
Tea tree oil is an antiseptic that is active against many bacteria and fungi, including some that are resistant to antibiotics. However, it is not as effective as oral antibiotics for some conditions It eases sore throat as a gargle, but should not be swallowed as it may cause nerve damage.