Tea tree facts for kids

Tea tree is a name that can mean different things! Sometimes it refers to a type of plant, and other times it refers to places. This page helps you find what you're looking for when you see the words "Tea tree."

Plants Called Tea Tree

Many different plants are known as "Tea tree." They often have similar looks or uses.

The Tea Plant

The most famous "tea tree" is actually a plant called Camellia sinensis. This is the plant that gives us all the different kinds of tea we drink, like black tea, green tea, oolong tea, and white tea. It's a very important plant for drinks around the world!

Other Tea Tree Plants

Several other plants are also called "tea tree," often because their leaves were used to make tea-like drinks by early explorers or Indigenous people.

Melaleuca Species

• The Melaleuca plants are a group of trees and shrubs from the myrtle family. Some of these are the source of tea tree oil, which is used in many health and beauty products.
• Melaleuca alternifolia is a specific type of Melaleuca tree or tall shrub. It's well-known for producing the popular tea tree oil.

Leptospermum and Kunzea

• Leptospermum plants are also in the myrtle family. One famous type from this group is the source of Mānuka honey, which comes from New Zealand.
• Kunzea ericoides is known as White tea-tree or kānuka. It's another tree or shrub found in New Zealand.

Other Plant Types

• Taxandria parviceps is another plant from the myrtle family that can be called a tea tree.
• Some types of Lycium plants are also known as tea trees:
  • Lycium europaeum is sometimes called European teatree.
  • Lycium barbarum is known as Duke of Argyll's Tea Tree.
• Cordyline australis is a plant known as tī tree in the Māori language.

Places Called Tea Tree

The name "Tea Tree" is also used for several places, especially in Australia.

Australian Locations

• Tea Tree was the old name for Ti-Tree, Northern Territory, which is a town and an area in Australia.
• Tea Tree Gully is a local council area in Adelaide, Australia.
• Westfield Tea Tree Plaza is a large shopping center located in Adelaide, Australia.
• Tea Tree, Tasmania is a specific area in Southern Tasmania.

See also

• Ti-Tree (disambiguation)