Behind the Bottle: Tea Tree

Behind the Bottle: Tea Tree

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Lunga Lunga, Kenya

Just four miles from the border of Tanzania in the lush agricultural haven of Lunga Lunga, Francis Nyachoka begins his morning routine. He tends to tea tree and other crops on his property, which thrive in sunny conditions and moist soil. These evergreen, shrublike trees are native to Australia but flourish in this part of Kenya, providing a powerful cash crop to small-scale farmers like Mr. Nyachoka.

Southeastern Australia

Tea trees grow from spring to autumn in their native Australia. Conventional harvesting of tea tree involves cutting the branches and leaves almost to the stump. New branches and leaves quickly regrow, as tea trees are vibrant, naturally re-coppicing plants. They can be sustainably harvested every year because they begin regrowing just a few weeks after harvesting.

Coppicing is done with many tree species, extending a tree’s health and life if done properly. The new growth is also good for the environment because young trees use more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than mature trees, which helps with rapid carbon sequestration. dōTERRA partners with a family-owned tea tree plantation. These farmers continue increasing the health and productivity of their trees, some of which are over 25 years old.

Lunga Lunga, Kenya

Mr. Nyachoka first grew tea trees in 2017. At first, he committed only a small portion of his land as part of a small-scale farming program. When he earned more than three times as much on his tea trees as his corn, Mr. Nyachoka converted more of his land, expanding into the 7,000 trees he cares for today. Mr. Nyachoka now makes more than eight times his previous income, allowing him to build a new house on his land and buy a new tractor. His next project is installing a solar pump for irrigation.

Mr. Nyachoka’s tea tree business has also enabled him to support his grandchildren. One grandson is pursuing a teaching degree through Nairobi University, and another is studying clinical medicine through the Kenya Medical Training College.

Southeastern Australia

On the Australia tea tree plantation, kangaroos run wild, roaming freely among the millions of trees. Tea tree has been used for generations by indigenous Australians for a variety of wellness purposes. They crushed the leaves— releasing the essential oil—and inhaled the herbaceous scent or applied the leaves directly to their skin for a topical cleansing effect.

During WWII, members of the Australian Army were issued a small bottle of tea tree oil to carry with them into battle. The unique benefits of Melaleuca alternifolia are the reason dōTERRA shares this essential oil with people across the globe.

Nothing Wasted

Tea Tree essential oil is steam-distilled from the tree leaves. None of the tree is wasted in producing our Tea Tree. In both Australia and Kenya, the steamed tea tree biomass is tilled into the fields as mulch to conserve moisture, regenerate the soil, prevent weed growth, and deliver important nutrients to the soil.

From the trees Mr. Nyachoka carefully tends to in Lunga Lunga to the beautiful regrowth and rebirth of strong trees in eastern Australia, the only way to produce pure, powerful Tea Tree essential oil is by respecting and nurturing each tree and gently caring for the land it stands on. The pure intentions that go into producing Tea Tree ensure not a single leaf, branch, or drop is wasted along the way.