Tea Tree
Melaleuca alternifolia
Medicinal Plants Difficulty: Moderate
📖 About this plant
Tea Tree is a small Australian tree whose leaves yield the famous tea tree oil, one of the most powerful natural antiseptics available. The oil is effective against bacteria, fungi, and viruses, making it a staple in first aid and skincare products worldwide.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
☀️
Light
Full sun (6-8 hrs)
💧
Water
Every 1-2 weeks
💨
Humidity
Moderate (40-60%)
🌡️
Temperature
15-28°C
🪴
Soil
Well-drained sandy loam; tolerates poor soils and wet conditions; pH 5.5-7.0
🧪
Fertilizer
Low-nitrogen fertilizer in spring; young plants benefit from balanced slow-release fertilizer
🌐 Common Names
HI
Hindi
टी ट्री
BN
Bengali
টি ট্রি
MR
Marathi
टी ट्री
TE
Telugu
టీ ట్రీ
TA
Tamil
டீ ட்ரீ
GU
Gujarati
ટી ટ્રી
UR
Urdu
ٹی ٹری
KN
Kannada
ಟೀ ಟ್ರೀ
OR
Odia
ଟି ଟ୍ରୀ
ML
Malayalam
ടീ ട്രീ
PA
Punjabi
ਟੀ ਟ੍ਰੀ
AS
Assamese
টি ট্ৰী
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Australia (New South Wales, Queensland)
- 📏 Max height
- 300-600 cm
- 📐 Spread
- 100-200 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Spring - Summer
- 🎨 Bloom color
- White
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Essential oil toxic if ingested orally; topical use generally safe; keep away from pets
- 🌱 Propagation
- Seed sowing in spring; semi-hardwood cuttings in late summer
🛡️ Health & Safety
⚠️ Not pet safe
☠️ Toxic
Essential oil toxic if ingested orally; topical use generally safe; keep away from pets
Common issues
- Root rot from Phytophthora
- Tea tree borer
- Scale insects
- Webbing caterpillar
💡 Care tips
- Leaves yield essential oil with powerful antiseptic properties
- Slow-growing evergreen that prefers well-drained acidic soil
- Tolerates drought once established but needs regular watering as a seedling
- Hardy in warm climates but must be protected from frost
🪴 Add to My Plants
One click — added instantly. Watering every 11 days, fertilizing every 30 days.
