Kunzea

Kunzea is often grouped loosely with tea tree as one more Australian leaf oil. It belongs to a separate genus, and its chemistry has its own signature: the sesquiterpene alcohols globulol and viridiflorol beneath a pinene and cineole top.

01 · Origin

Kunzea ambigua, known as white kunzea or tick bush, is a shrub of the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, native to south-eastern Australia. This oil is distilled from the twigs and leaves of conventionally grown plants in Australia.

02 · Chemistry

Alpha-pinene leads and gives the bright, resinous opening. 1,8-cineole follows. Globulol and viridiflorol carry the heavier, woody tail. Comparative work alongside Kanuka (No. 1745), a New Zealand member of the same genus, shows two related profiles weighted in different directions.

03 · In Practice

Fresh, sweet and resinous, with a soft honeyed note and a dry, woody drydown. Sits between top and middle in a blend. Diffusion, massage blends, bath preparations and meditation practice. Blends with lavender, eucalyptus, pine, sandalwood, lemon myrtle, frankincense and cypress.

General information: For external use only. Dilute before applying to skin. Keep away from heat and sunlight. Keep out of reach of children. Avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes.