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Manuka

Common name: Tea tree. Note that there are 3 different species of Myrtaceae that grow in Australia and New Zealand known as “tea trees”: Australian Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), New Zealand Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium), and Kanuka (Kunzea ericoides). .
Botanical name: Leptospermum scoparium
Family: Myrtaceae
Origin: New Zealand and Australia, but new cultivars are being developed in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Description: Medium-sized evergreen shrub that can grow up to 5 meters tall and 3 meters wide. The leaves are variable in shape and size; they can be elliptical, broadly lanceolate or obovate, and 7 to 20 mm long. White, occasionally tinged with pink and rarely red flowers, 1 cm in diameter, occur in spring and early summer. Many different highly ornamental varieties are now available. The bark is stringy and peels off in long scales.

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Applications: Mainly cultivated as an ornamental plant. Manuka is a nursery tree and often forms large areas that protect regenerating forest seedlings and form a refuge for native orchids and other small plants. Manuka wood is red in color, hard and durable. It has been used for fences, tool handles, and as firewood. Manuka was traditionally used by Maori for a variety of ailments from urinary conditions, colds, sedation to skin disorders. Infusions and poultices were made from the leaves and inner bark and the capsules and seed sap were chewed. Early European migrants produced a tea from Manuka leaves (hence its name). Modern uses today focus on current Applications for skin conditions, cosmetic, fungal and anti-topical.histamine use. However, the variability in Manuka essential oils suggests caution in their use, as does the fact that the oils have not been tested for toxicity. Manuka honey can be eaten, cooked, or used externally.
Allergens: Manuka essential oils include sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (>60%), oxygenated sesquiterpenes/triketones (approximately 30%), and monoterpenes (<3%). Individual components include: monoterpene hydrocarbons, a-cubebene, b-pinene, r-cymene, g-terpinene, a-copaene, b-carryophyllene, aromadendrene, calamanene, limonene, myrcene, 8-cineole, linalool ester, copaene, elemene , gurjunene/aromadendrene, farnesene/caryophyllene, selinene, and cadinene skeletons.
Allergy: Allergic contact dermatitis It has been reported from essential oils used in aromatherapy, from soaps/cosmetics, and oils used therapeutically.
Cross reactions: ? Melaleuca alternifolia
Patch test: Essential oils, plants and leaves.