"Eucalyptus has become a wonderful symbol of strength, protection, and abundance. As such, Australian Aboriginals practiced burning eucalyptus leaves to purify and negate negative energy and saw eucalyptus as a sacred plant." - Expressions Flower Dictionary
History and cultivation of Eucalyptus
The iconic Gum Tree aka Eucalyptus is one of Australia’s most well-established flora with 934 identified native species, they dominate our landscape making up around seventy percent of our forests, woodlands and shrublands. As the song goes, “a home among the gum trees” is indeed true! These incredibly drought and fire tolerant plants not only survived but thrived in Australia’s harsh and ever-changing climate for the past 30 million years.
The oil-rich foliage of eucalypts when young and green is relatively fire resistant, but the dry, oily leaves on the ground burn easily. This seems to form part of their incredible strategy to recover and grow. They hold their seeds in hard capsules that are prompted to drop and open during fire, falling to the newly fertilised soil where smaller plants have been burnt thus clearing the way for eucalypt seeds to germinate. Some species have dormant shoots that will germinate only when triggered by flames. The plant seems to need fire, but in a way, because of its oil, it also creates fire.
Ghost Gum, Central Australia
Is your Eucalyptus from Australia?
Eucalyptus is well known for being a natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. Indigenous Australians first started using Eucalyptus as a medicinal remedy. They would use various species of Eucalyptus for coughs, respiratory issues, gastrointestinal problems and cuts and wounds. The leaves are also connected to spiritual and ceremonial practices, such as traditional smoking ceremonies. The smoke is used as a spiritual cleanse when waved over people to encourage good health and on the land itself to clear bad spirits.
Eucalyptus oil was Australia’s first export. Beginning in 1860, the oil was exported to North and South America, Asia, Europe, and China. Scientist, botanist and chemist Baron Ferdinand von Mueller used eucalyptus oil as an antiseptic and encouraged its export.
Popularity of the oil grew after World War 1 during the 1919 influenza epidemic. After World War 2, production and labour costs in Australia started to rise and the economy was more interested in propping up grain production, particularly wheat. A few small distilleries remained but eventually production moved offshore where costs were cheaper and the industry here in Australia was basically brought to nothing.
Tasmanian Blue Gum Eucalyptus Globulus, Sue Stuart, Botanical Art Society
The fast-growing Tasmanian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus) is now predominantly grown in Asia and this market has more or less had a monopoly on Eucalyptus oil production. The rise of globulus oil production in Asia came about because it was a natural by-product of the large-scale timber and pulpwood industry happening there.
Over the last couple of decades, a growing interest in sustainability and traceability of source ingredients by consumers and global industries generally, has seen a return of looking to Australia as the natural source of Eucalyptus oil.
Healing properties of eucalyptus oil
Much research has been done in recent years that has demonstrated the widespread biological activities of eucalyptus oil and its major component 1,8-cineloe.
There are a few varieties that are predominantly used for oil including Eucalyptus globulus (blue gum), Eucalyptus radiata and Eucalyptus dives (peppermint eucalyptus). In a first to industry, ETTO Australia steam distils the variety Eucalyptus polybractea (Blue Mallee) for its cineole content is much higher making it a superior and more potent therapeutic botanical. Common globulus will often only contain around 60% cineole, and radiata and dives even less at around 40%, whereas ETTO polybractea contains 84% cineole.
Further, because the International standards require all commercially traded eucalyptus oil must have a minimum content of 1,8-cineole of 70%, steam extracted globulus must be "rectified" to inhance it's cineole levels.
Rectification involves a low temperature vacuum distillation of the oil that removes some of the other components in eucalyptus like pinene and sabinene which in turn increases the concentration of remaining cineole.
This means the globulus oil is not a genuine reflection of the oil's natural composition as found in nature. Whereas blue mallee's composition is exactly how nature intended it to be. Messing with nature's composition could mean messing with the overall effectiveness of the oil and the properties it provides.
In short, eucalyptus globulus oil is not as natiural as blue mallee oil.
When using the oil for therapeutics, we believe it's important to have it as close to nature as possible and to have the more superior, naturally occurring potency of 1,8-cienole as provided in Blue Mallee Eucalyptus.
Blue Mallee Eucalyptus has many benefits for everyday health:
Respiratory Health
As an anti-inflammatory and decongestant, Blue Mallee helps to loosen mucus and clear congestion making it a wonderful therapy for colds, flus, sinusitis and hayfever. Scientific human trials have also shown it to be useful for asthma and bronchitis.
Its antibacterial and analgesic properties can assist sore throats and other associated symptoms of colds and flu, including inflammation and fever.
How to use:
- Add several drops to a tsp of coconut oil and rub over chest and throat.
- Add 10 drops of Blue Mallee oil or a Forest Lung Steam Inhaler to a bowl of hot water and hover face over to inhale the steam for 5-10 minutes. Use a towel to create a tent over your head and bowl to contain the steam. This is ideal for clearing nasal passages and assisting coughs.
- Add a few drops to your hands and rub them together briefly, hold over mouth and nose and take a few deep breaths.
ETTO Blue Mallee Eucalyptus oil is grown & steam distilled on our Australian farm to ensure quality & purity
Immune system health
Studies have demonstrated that Eucalyptus oil can help stimulate an immune response due to its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. It has a supportive effect on the macrophagic system, one of our body’s primary cellular process of the immune response against pathogen attacks.
How to use:
- Add ETTO Blue Mallee Eucalyptus to your oil diffuser and regularly cleanse the air in your home and office.
- Do a facial steam (instructions as above) using Blue Mallee oil or a Forest Lungs Steam Inhaler after coming home from crowded spaces or public travel and transport.
ETTO Forest Lungs Steam Inhalers perfect for clearing congestion due to colds, flu, hay fever & sinusitis
Skin healing
Blue Mallee’s antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties make it ideal for tending to minor wounds like cuts, scrapes, grazes. As a bonus, the analgesic properties assist with soothing the pain, which also makes it ideal for insect bites.
Naturally antimicrobial, Blue Mallee is ideal for problem skin and can assist with treating and healing acne and blemishes.
How to use:
- Wet a makeup cotton pad and add several drop of ETTO pure Blue Mallee, wipe gently over effected area. For small bites, add a drop or two to a cotton bud and dab over.
- Add 10 drops to a bowl of hot water and hover face over to inhale the steam for 5-10 minutes. Use a towel to create a tent over your head and bowl to contain the steam. This is ideal for clearing pores, soften skin and bringing antiseptic properties to the face.
Pain relief
The high cineole count in Blue Mallee makes it an exceptional choice for easing sore muscle and join pain as the well-known anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties will be at their most potent in a bottle of steam distilled, unadulterated 100% Blue Mallee oil. Headaches, backaches, muscles stiffness, sprains, strains, joint pain, pain from arthritis, swelling or inflammation can all be relieved.
How to use:
- Add several drops to a tsp of coconut oil (or preferred carrier oil) and massage into affected area as needed.
- In a small bowl add 1 cup of ice cold or warm water (cold or warm based on what your injury needs) and add 10 drops of pure ETTO Blue Mallee. Soak a tea towel or face cloth and squeeze out excess water. Lay the towel over affected area for 5-10 minutes. Keep soaking and squeezing out to freshen and reapply.
ETTO Blue Mallee Eucalyptus has a superior fragrance and quality
Mental Health
Blue Mallee has a fresh and softly invigorating fragrance. It is slightly milder and sweeter than globulus. The scent can have positive mood enhancing effects by stimulating your senses. It can be used to help with feeling calm and destressing, as well as re-energising and awakening which can assist with concentration, brain fog and focus.
How to use:
- Add Blue Mallee Eucalyptus to your oil diffuser and regularly cleanse the air in your home and office.
- Add 20-30 drops to a bath and soak it in.
- Add 20 drops to your shower, best to drop the oil into the corners on the floor so as to not make the floor slippery and then the steam the shower allows the scent to waft up.
- Add a drop to pulse points (wrists or behind ears)
Antioxidant boost
Blue Mallee Eucalyptus is packed full of antioxidants, primarily flavonoids such as quercetin and luteolin. These can help to protect against oxidative stress (an imbalance between antioxidant and free radicals in your body that can cause organ and tissue damage).
How to use:
Inhaling the oil can deliver the antioxidant benefits or you can drink it as a tea using dried leaves (not the pure oil, this is not to be ingested).
Flu and Corona Viruses
Numerous studies illustrate and recognise the broad-spectrum action of eucalyptus oil as an antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-immunomodulatory and antioxidant, and as such it is commonly used for wound healing, asthma, nasal congestion, sinusitis and lung complaints.
Due to limited therapeutic management for viral infections and the side effects of synthetic drugs, current studies globally are focusing on the medicinal use of eucalyptus in the treatment of viral disease, in particular SARS-CoV-2 and the commercial profitability of medicines from natural sources. Studies to date have suggested Eucalyptus oil has inhibitory potential against the coronavirus.
Sustainability of Blue Mallee Eucalyptus
ETTO's Blue Mallee Eucalyptus farm in Western Australia
Sustainability and ethics are big issues in the essential oil industry. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a good track record with many oils coming from farming and processing practices that lack sustainability, ethical issues around human labour, illegal harvesting, and adulteration of oils. Knowing the source of your essential oils is important, particularly when using the oils therapeutically, we need to know the oil is truly what it says it is.
Eucalyptus trees adapt and regenerate well, they also don’t require pulling from the ground to harvest the leaves to distil oil, making them a sustainable option for essential oils. Eucalyptus trees also have a good carbon sequestration value - meaning they capture and store atmospheric carbon dioxide.
On the ETTO Blue Mallee Eucalyptus farm we practice regenerative farming techniques, and circular farming practices. We coppice the tops of the tree, so each harvest season we are harvesting leaves from the same trees. Our oils our independently tested for quality and we share our results publicly so you can be sure what is in the bottle you buy is truly Blue Mallee, undiluted and unadulterated.
