Manuka Tree and Kanuka Tree

The New Zealand Tea Tree

The manuka tree or leptospermum scoparium is often referred to as New Zealand tea tree and grows commonly in the dryer parts of the country. The name tea tree originates from Captain Cook. He used its leaves to make himself a cup of tea. He said that it had a bitter taste that took getting used to, but once the leaves are dried they have a better taste.

Manuka is the name Maori people gave this tree that is commonly used in New Zealand.

Manuka oil

Manuka trees are 2-5 meters tall, shrub like trees and are member of the evergreen family. Small prickly leaves sit on very dense branches. Clusters of blooms cover the shrub in white to pink.

Easily confused are the trees of kanuka and manuka while they are still maturing. Once mature the kanuka can grow to a superior height of 20 meter and a trunk diameter of 1 meter with softer and smaller leaves than those of the manukas.

Tool handles, the Maoris waka paddles, and taiaha (Maori spear) are objects often made of their strong wood.

Within food preparation their aromatic leaves are used for smoking fish, ham or, semi dried tomatos to receive an exquisite taste.

Some traditional artists use manuka smoking technique to colour their bone carvings with a distinct tint.

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Nature's control

The manuka tree does have enemies other than the loggers cutting them down for fire wood. The web worm damages the tiny tips and shoots by webbing them together and built their homes inside the webbing. Web worm are controlled with poison or oil spray. Another thread to the shrubs is the lemon tree borers. They bore holes into the branches that weaken considerably. A tree rescue can be injecting kerosene into the bored holes. Kerosene is harmless to the tree.

Use of unique manuka property

Some drops of the essential Manuka oil are used in saunas, to fragrance rooms, in inhalers to assist with flu symptoms, in baths to relax, to assist wounds to heal, or to help with nail fungus treatment. Both manuka oil and kanuka oil have these healing properties. Even though it has a lot of health benefits manuka oil is toxic if it is taken internally. It affects the liver negatively. Externally used the essential oil is very beneficial.

Similar medicinal qualities are found in the honey. The market offers a range of varying levels of UMF the unique manuka factor that describes the amount of antibacterial properties in manuka honey.

Hei Matau, smoked

The purest can be used to treat therapeutically internally and externally on open wounds. The honey New Zealand with the lowest healing properties finds its place on the table to enjoy a sweet treat, with a distinct manuka taste.

Nature’s own antibiotic and antiseptic qualities inspire specialists today to create a wide range of natural health products and beauty care products .

New Zealand Manuka Honey and the pure essential Manuka Oil can be found in many body care products e.g. skin and hair care products, soap, cleaning products, etc. Manuka is also effective against dandruff and body odours. The bad smell comes from the bacteria not the sweat itself. 

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