In 1770 crewmembers on British sailor James Cook's exploration of Australia's east coast became intrigued with an unusual species of small trees growing in swampy, lowland areas. Cook's crew boiled the sticky, aromatic leaves of the tree, later identified as a member of the myrtle family, to make a tea. The name "tea tree" stuck, although if the sailors had consulted with Australia's Aborigines, we might know the plant as "wound tree" today, because these native peoples had long used the plant to cleanse and heal wounds. Medicinal use of the pale yellow oil distilled from tea tree leaves became more popular in Australia in the first decades of the twentieth century, and by the 1930s it was a widely respected medicine in that country. Australian tea tree growers were even exempted from serving in the country's military during World War II until a steady supply of the oil was assured for inclusion in first-aid kits.

Commercial production of tea tree is still centered in New South Wales, the only place in the world where the tree grows naturally. (Tea trees are now also being grown in plantations in Asia and other parts of the world.) Today the essential oil of the tea tree plant is recognized as one of the most effective natural substances for killing or inhibiting the growth of various types of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Industrial grades of tea tree are used as disinfectants in detergents and other products, but a much more prominent use for the essential oil is as a natural first-aid remedy and a treatment for various types of infections and skin conditions. Tea tree has become so popular that during the past decade worldwide sales have skyrocketed from approximately 10 tons to 200 tons annually.