Love That Lemony Scent?

If ever you make your way through the sandy rocky escarpments of eastern Australia you will be greeted with swathes of small, white flowers on pendulous branches of tall shrubs that dot the coastline. As you brush past, happening to break a few of its slender leaves or even tread on the fallen ones, your olfactory senses are assailed with its zesty, lemonlike aroma. Yet it has no relation to the popular citrus. On the contrary, Leptospermum petersonii, or lemon-scented tea tree (LSTT) traces its ancestry to the Myrtaceae family and is a close cousin of the common tea tree. The Greek word leptos means slender; while sperma refers to the seed; therefore, the term implies narrow seeds. Caressing the swampy shores and abutting the Australian rainforests, this species is older than Australia’s indigenous inhabitants. With its exquisite ornamental value and distinctively uplifting scent, LSTT has nudged its way into the hearts of millions.

In the wild LSTT thrives naturally near wet sclerophyll forestlands of Eastern Australia preferring sandstone or basalt soil on moist outcrops or near natural watercourses. This resilient little, fast-growing, evergreen is open-branched and can attain heights of about five metres. Its pale green, simple leaves are slender; ranging from about 25 to 50 mm in length and 6.5 mm in width. The bark of the tree is firm, but soft and ridged. It is not very cold-tolerant, preferring the warm temperate sun of the tropics. In summer the tree is spectacularly captivating, for that is the time when it bursts into masses of snow-white flowers with green, woody centres. Aesthetically pleasing, with a refreshingly citrusy aroma, LSTT is quite a favourite and is commonly grown as a hedge, windbreak, feature or screen plant across Australian front yards.

As the world whirls to the whiffs of lemon, it is this lemon-scented tea tree oil that is fast replacing the traditional tea tree in a host of skincare, medicinal and household applications. Concerted efforts have resulted in the establishment of successful commercial cultivation of Leptospermum petersonii. A visit to the provinces of southern Queensland and the northern regions of New South Wales throws light on large, sprawling plantations covering several hectares. The leaves, usually around 40 mm in length, are now smaller here but more supple and

as such are professionally harvested “along with twigs” to extract the essential oil. Among the plantations of note Golden Grove Naturals is one of the oldest. This was the erstwhile Australian Plantations Limited, one of the first to explore the marketable cultivation of tea tree in the early 1980s. Established in the very regions where tea tree indigenously abounds, Golden Grove Naturals has today evolved from a tree plantation into a premier distillery offering authentic natural products and plant essences. The company has upgraded its facilities and, true to its original, ethically sourced and bottled tea tree vision, has recently established a new planation of lemonscented tea tree.

Habitat

In the wild LSTT thrives naturally near wet sclerophyll forestlands of Eastern Australia preferring sandstone or basalt soil on moist outcrops or near natural watercourses. This resilient little, fast-growing, evergreen is open-branched and can attain heights of about five metres. Its pale green, simple leaves are slender; ranging from about 25 to 50 mm in length and 6.5 mm in width. The bark of the tree is firm, but soft and ridged. It is not very cold-tolerant, preferring the warm temperate sun of the tropics. In summer the tree is spectacularly captivating, for that is the time when it bursts into masses of snow-white flowers with green, woody centres. Aesthetically pleasing, with a refreshingly citrusy aroma, LSTT is quite a favourite and is commonly grown as a hedge, windbreak, feature or screen plant across Australian front yards.

As the world whirls to the whiffs of lemon, it is this lemon-scented tea tree oil that is fast replacing the traditional tea tree in a host of skincare, medicinal and household applications. Concerted efforts have resulted in the establishment of successful commercial cultivation of Leptospermum petersonii. A visit to the provinces of southern Queensland and the northern regions of New South Wales throws light on large, sprawling plantations covering several hectares. The leaves, usually around 40 mm in length, are now smaller here but more supple and 

as such are professionally harvested “along with twigs” to extract the essential oil. Among the plantations of note Golden Grove Naturals is one of the oldest. This was the erstwhile Australian Plantations Limited, one of the first to explore the marketable cultivation of tea tree in the early 1980s. Established in the very regions where tea tree indigenously abounds, Golden Grove Naturals has today evolved from a tree plantation into a premier distillery offering authentic natural products and plant essences. The company has upgraded its facilities and, true to its original, ethically sourced and bottled tea tree vision, has recently established a new planation of lemonscented tea tree.

Distillation

Now that we are well into tea tree territory, and we have sufficiently stirred your curiosity, let us give you a peep into the operations of oil extraction.

The essential oil of Leptospermum petersonii is extracted by steam distilling leaves and terminal branches usually harvested from December through March. Harvested plant material, generally distilled within 48 hours to ensure the essential volatile compounds are preserved, is exposed to steam in a distillation unit. This steam is subsequently condensed using ambient temperature water and the resulting water/essential oil mix collected in a separator. Once cooled the plant yields a sparkling, effervescent oil with the divine citrusgreen fragrance that distinguishes this oil from its cousin, the conventional tea tree oil.

What makes it unique?

The one thing that professionals, aromatherapists and consumers all tend to agree on is that the vibrant, lemon aroma is what makes this oil special. Its lemon-rosaceous top note is delicate with a hint of sweetness. The herbaceous, lemon-like back note, which follows well into the heart note, leaves you with a crispy clean, astringent tang which is delightfully enlivening. The tingle, at once reminiscent of the citrus peel-like grassy aroma of lemon verbena, citronella or lemongrass, is quite an olfactory nirvana of sorts – a packed powerhouse of stimulants.

The GGN TDS/SDS shows the chemical composition of LSTT as

• 45 to 65% citral
• 25 to 35% citronellal
• 1 to 5% citronellol, geraniol, linalool
• Trace – 8% isopulegol

Evidently in addition to the invigorating fragrance, lemon- scented tea tree also exhibits the properties of tea tree. As such its antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties are widely recognised. Couple the milder composition with lemon-scented tea tree oil’s ability to mask the aroma of conventional tea tree oil, and we can see why it makes for a coveted ingredient in cleaning and personal care products. This is especially beneficial for those with sensitive skin who are susceptible to allergens.

APPLICATIONS AND BENEFITS

The supermarket shelves are stacked with bewitching displays of luxurious body butters, a plethora of shampoos and shower gels, and a variety of soaps, lotions and scrubs. Reach out for any of them and there are high chances that you will find lemon-scented tea tree oil listed among the ingredients printed on the back. Its buoyant, vivacious aromatic profile ensures that LSTT finds a place in a variety of personal care products. With the escalating clamour for aromatherapy and natural wellness, LSTT oil is also widely used by practitioners of aromatherapy; with reports of it being a powerful relaxant cum mood lifter. It instils calmness and eases anxiety, stress and nervous tension.

It is evident that LSTT’s aromatic constituents and therapeutic properties make it a favoured component for perfumers. LSTT’s light floral, citrusy notes blend amazingly well with a variety of other oils such as citrus and herbal oils like rosemary and thyme to create the most divine fragrances.

Aroma is not all LSTT has to offer. Extensively recognised for its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral and antiseptic properties, lemon-scented tea tree oil finds a host of uses in many industrial products and medicines.

There are several explorations of LSTT’s anti-fungal benefits being harnessed for alternative preventive solutions for pest and disease control in agriculture and forestry. Because it is such a fantastic bacteria buster, it is used in salves, compresses or ointments as curative for problem and acne-prone skin. Acne is caused by bacterial infection of the skin and may cause irritation, flare-ups or break-out of spots and blackheads. LSTT oil works wonders in these instances. In addition, it is used on skin infections like warts, athlete’s foot and nail infections.

Domestic cleaners contain an abundance of harsh chemicals. LSTT has the power to take on all the microbes, moulds and fungi that may be lurking around the house or office. It is a robust disinfecting agent and is largely used as a non-toxic surface cleaner for households, bathrooms and kitchens. This is precisely the same reason that LSTT is a favourite inclusion in hand sanitisers and soaps and can be found stocked in most bathroom cabinets.

The high citral and citronellal content in LSTT works as an efficient insect repellent too. Chemically similar to citronella and exhibiting similar qualities as that of tea tree oil, the lemon-scented variety exudes a more jaunty, fresher scent. Used as a spray, or in a vapouriser, LSTT is an effective natural repellent for keeping those tiresome mosquitoes and bugs at bay.

LSTT is a natural defence booster and a potent respiratory cleanser, a warrior in its own right. Steam inhalation clears congestion by stimulating the bronchi and is an effective remedy to combat coughs and colds.

Lemon-scented tea tree oil, by virtue of its strong aroma, holds the potential to overpower other smells. As a result, it is sometimes a handy ingredient to mask particularly unpleasant odours, even the acrid, burnt smell of smoke.

Blending of LSTT oil into other carrier oils or even surfactant-rich products like shampoo or body wash has shown the astonishing staying power of the oil. The fragrance lingers long and does not die or fade easily. Quite literally too, as an ode to its staying power, the message is loud and clear. As more and more people join the alternative wellness bandwagon, lemon-scented tea tree oil is here to stay and will linger in many hearts for decades to come.