Oils and resinoids - Import export

is obtained by water distillation of leaves and twigs of the tea tree. Since water and tea tree oil are hardly miscible, it is easy to seperate them. The yield, with this method of extraction, is about 6 %. The tea tree has its origin in Australia. It is an evergreen tree and can reach a height up to 10 meters. It has a white, papery bark and blossoms in spring. It bears small, cylindrical capsules. The aborigines use tea tree oil as therapeutical agent. It contains about 100 different substances and compounds, up to 40 % terpentinen-4-ol and up to 20 % terpinene. Its name probably comes from captain James Cook, who observed the aborigines, how they were making tea out of the tea tree leaves.