2023 August - From Field to Bottle - An Interview with our supplier of Tea Tree Oil - Part 1

Our Product Development Manager recently interviewed our long-term Tea Tree Australian Essential Oil supplier during his latest harvest in the breathtaking North of New South Wales. During the first part of this interview, we gained firsthand knowledge of the Melaleuca Alternifolia plant and plantation's sustainable practices. During the second part of our interview, we discussed the production process used to create our premium essential oil, the latest industry trends & challenges and quality control measures, ensuring that our essential oil meets the highest standards of quality and effectiveness. Sustainability and quality are reflected in every bottle of Tea Tree Australian Essential Oil that we offer.

What is the lifetime of a tea tree?

That's a good question. The lifetime of a Tea Tree is about 30 to 80 years.

We plant our trees only once for the entire lifetime of the Plantation. During harvest, the
trees are cut back to a stump from which it regrows for another crop. There are no seedlings
to replant from one year to the next.

Some of our oldest trees date back to 1992, still in peak performance and churning out
exceptional quality oil.

How long does it take for the tree to mature to obtain your first distillation?

It can take two to three years for the seedlings to establish themselves and reach maturation
for harvest. However, once mature, the trees are harvested every year.

How do you source your tea tree plants?

As a member of the Australian Tea Tree Industry Association (ATTIA), we only source
seedlings from ATTIA-approved nurseries. Guaranteeing high-quality Tea Tree seedlings.

Can you describe your cultivation and harvesting process? Do you use any pesticides?

Tea Tree growing and oil production is a relatively easy farming process. The trees regrow
over a year, reaching a maximum of 6ft -- they look more like a bush than a tree at this stage,
perfect for harvesting; this assures that there's less trunk and more leaf where the oil
resides.

We work closely with the country's leading tea tree agronomist as we are both committed to
sustainable and eco-friendly practices. We are always on the lookout to minimise any need
for pesticides, allowing nature to resolve itself. We encourage, for instance, ladybug
populations to overtake "pest" insects like pyrgo and psyllid larvae. We let our family-owned
horses and cows roam and rummage through the tea trees – which they have no appetite
for – to eat “bad” grasses and weeds, leaving behind natural fertilisers.

When nature can't resolve the issue, we adhere rigorously to ATTIA's code of practice,
permits and schedule for pesticide use. Although we are not an organic farm, we aim for our
natural essential oil to be as close to organic as possible.

The trees are cut back to a stump during harvest and mulched into large containers. The
containers full of freshly harvested tea trees are immediately transported to the distillery,
where they are steam distilled with the resulting oil collected and stored. A sample is then
taken and analysed to produce a certificate of authenticity. The oil is now ready to be sold
and dispatched straight from the distillery.