REPORT ON OUR TEA TREE PLANTATION AND OUR ESSENTIAL OILS

Currently, within our farm, we are fully engaged in the harvesting, maintenance and transplanting of young tea tree plants. Particular care is taken at each stage, including the mulching of the plants with the dried aromatic waste from distillation, thus ensuring optimal protection against the vagaries of the climate and possible parasites.

The photos you will find at the end of this article reflect the diversity of plants, from carefully collected seedlings to plants over 10 years old, treated with the same attention as a vine, promoting robust plants and deep roots that are resistant to drought and require no fertilizer unlike industrial plantations.

Tea tree cultivation and the production of its essential oil: a goldsmith's work

This unique approach to tea tree cultivation is different from the largely mechanized methods seen in other parts of Africa or Australia, where plants are often cut down to ground level to be replanted the following year. Our choice is based on a relationship of friendship with our plants, who reward us with the best of themselves.

The tea tree essential oil that we produce is distinguished by its exceptional softness and delicacy. All operations are necessarily manual so as not to injure the feet of the plants and the branches are pruned to distill only the noble parts of the plant unlike industrial techniques that crush all the leaves and branches to ensile them and distill them in rectangular containers.

Our stills are on a human scale, isolated so as not to waste energy and the water we vaporize comes from a source close to the distillery. Although its cost is higher than that of large commercial companies, we maintain a very accessible sale price and your nose will undeniably make the difference…

From choosing the premium tea tree seed to producing seeds (and essential oils!)

At the beginning, the choice of seeds was between those of Vilmorin, at €8 per gram, and those of an organic farm in Australia, at $62 per gram. The decision fell on the second option, because there could not be such a significant difference without it being justified.

Learning the behavior of the plant was a challenge. It does not germinate at any time, and requires careful attention and care adapted to its preferences. We learned its germination periods, its needs, we listened constantly and we were largely rewarded first by the quality, the softness, and the effectiveness of our essential oil and by the pleasure of success.

Currently, the Australian plantation has been affected by a fire, but we are fortunate to have some mother plants of this wonderful tea tree that allow us to produce our own seeds. Although this requires work, it is also the fruit of our good fortune.

Our commitment to these natural essential oils remains a story of care, attention and love for the plants that enrich our daily lives… and, by extension, that of our loyal customers and friends.

Some photos of our crops on the farm in Madagascar…



And to give you an idea of our work, here are some photos of our plantations in our essential oil farm in Madagascar…