Tea tree (melaleuca). tea tree (tea)

Perhaps I will not be mistaken if I say that tea is one of the most common drinks on Earth. It is prepared from the leaves of tea trees, which are native to countries in southeast Asia.

But since this drink has gained incredible popularity, today tea trees in the form of low shrubs are cultivated in regions with suitable climates around the world, even in Africa. You can try to grow them at home.

CHINESE CAMELIA

Belongs tea tree to the tea family, to the genus Camellia. Its official name is camellia sinensis.

Therefore, it not only gives fragrant leaves for a drink, but also blooms very nicely. At the end of September, white corollas up to 4 cm in diameter with large bright yellow anthers bloom on the tea bushes, exuding a delicate refreshing aroma.

By winter, the fruits ripen - round, three-leaved, dark green boxes with round, up to 1.5 cm in size, brown seeds inside. If you plant these seeds fresh, they germinate easily. However, as soon as they lie down for a couple of months, their germination rate drops sharply. Therefore, rarely anyone manages to grow a tea tree from seeds bought in a store. It is better to buy a seedling right away.

PLANTING A TEA TREE

Before sowing, the seeds are soaked for 3 days in a warm boiled water. Then they are buried 3-4 cm into an acidic loose substrate, as for azaleas, or into the ground taken in the forest from under the fir trees, mixed with peat and sand (4:1:1).

Crops are moistened, covered with a film and placed in a warm (22-25 °) place. Tea seeds can germinate from one to several months. My seedlings (4 pieces) sprouted after 6 weeks. When the sprouts formed 2 large leaves, I dived them into pots with a substrate and a drainage layer 5 cm thick at the bottom.

Tea does not like stagnant moisture.

CUTTING AND TRANSFER OF TEA

Seedlings that have grown to 15-20 cm should be cut to 10 cm from the soil to enhance tillering. The following year, the plants are cut at a height of 20-30 cm. And then every year at the end of summer the shape of the tea bushes is corrected. At home, it is rational to maintain them up to 50 cm high and wide. cut lignified annual shoots you can not throw it away, but root it in a moist substrate under a transparent bag or in a jar of water.

The first 3-5 years, the plants need to be transplanted every year into pots slightly larger than the previous ones. Then transplants are carried out 1 time in 2-3 years. It is important not to deepen the root neck.

MORE MOISTURE!

Tea trees are undemanding to lighting. My seedlings feel equally good at both southern and northern windows. But tea does not tolerate dry air and needs regular spraying (2-3 times a week) warm water, as well as in abundant watering. Twice a month it is necessary to feed the trees with solutions of complex fertilizers.

In summer, it is recommended to put the plants on the balcony or in the garden. On a hot afternoon, they are shaded with gauze. In winter, they are kept on an unheated glazed loggia or on a veranda at a temperature of 12-15 °. I just move my trees closer to the windows and fence off the batteries with foil screens. I do not carry out top dressing until spring, I reduce watering. Seedlings bloom at the age of 1.5-2 years.

WELDING-CHOICE

The leaves of the tea tree are long (up to 10 cm) and narrow. They are harvested for making tea from 2-year-old plants and older. Tear off the tips of the shoots with two young leaves and a bud. Old coarse leaves are not suitable for a drink.

Then the harvested must be dried - there will be green tea brewing. Or you can ferment (wither and mash so that the juice stands out), and then dry it - you get black tea. I prefer to make them fresh. In this case, tea releases a maximum of vitamins into the water, which are up to 4 times more than in lemons. And in tea leaves there is a lot of caffeine, which has a tonic effect, and tannin, which normalizes digestion. The taste of homemade tea is different from the purchased one, but, in my opinion, in better side.

Growing tea at home - planting and care, tips and reviews

Homemade tea for samovar

Of course, we are not English, but we also have tea drinking - national tradition Already in what in what, and in tea we understand. But hardly many of us know that it is possible to harvest tea leaf on your own windowsill.

Having successfully grown a lemon at home, I, apparently by association (tea with lemon), thought: is it possible to grow a tea tree at home as well? Reference literature unequivocally convinced me that there is nothing impossible in this, and after a while I bought tea bush ik on the ad on the Internet. The price was high, but family budget somehow fit in.

The tea bush is not only useful, but also beautiful, as it blooms with very cute white flowers for most of the fall. AT room conditions the growth of this evergreen shrub will not exceed 50 cm. Tea is a photophilous culture, but a light shade will not harm the plant. At home, in winter, the tea bush needs a cool temperature, in summer it will be quite satisfied with 18-25 °. In winter, watering is very moderate, in summer - plentiful, and also - regular spraying. In summer, he will gladly move to the balcony - Fresh air will do him good.

To grow a tea bush you need acidic soil, not loose, but nutritious. Can be used ready ground for azaleas.

When the seedlings stretch up to 20 cm, I advise you to cut them to a height of 10 cm from the soil for better tillering. And in general, so that the bush does not grow too much, every year in the fall it should be cut by 5-6 cm.

If you shape it so that the crown is both compact and wide, then the tea leaf yield will be much larger.

When buying seeds, pay attention to their appearance: tea seeds should be brown and without any damage. You can start planting at the end of February, after soaking the seeds in water for three days. Seeds that float to the surface are discarded.

Marina KONOVALENKO

Hot Selling 10pcs/pack lotus seeds bonsai hydroponics aquatic ...

22.37 rub.

★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ (4.80) | Orders (705)

Tea tree, Melaleuca

Russian name: Tea tree, Melaleuca

Latin name: Melaleuca

Family: Myrtle

Motherland: Australia

general information: Tea tree or Melaleuca (lat. Melaleuca) - belongs to the genus of Australian trees and shrubs, the Myrtle family. This genus is very close to another genus of myrtle - eucalyptus. There are about 200 varieties of this plant. But only one of the species has important medical properties. The tea tree is considered one of the oldest cultivated plants the globe. Tea tree has nothing to do with tea. Tea is prepared from the leaves of the tea bush (Thea sinensis) - a plant from the tea family (Theaceae), whose birthplace is Southeast Asia. The tea tree comes from Australia.

The specific name of the plant from which “tea oil” is obtained is melaleuca (sometimes spelled “manuka”) alternifolia (Melaleuca alternifolia). The name melaleuka is translated from ancient Greek as "black and white" (melanos - "black" and leukos - "white"). Presumably this is due to the white color of the bark in some species, which turns black after the fires that often occur in the places where these plants grow. Melaleuca is also called paperbark tree and honey myrtle. The fact is that in many species of the genus, the thin bark exfoliates in flaps that look like paper. And melaleuca flowers give a lot of nectar and have good melliferous properties.

For us, another name is more familiar - tea tree. There are two versions of where it came from. According to one of them, the sailors of the expedition of James Cook were the first to name melaleuca, who saw how the locals brew its leaves and drink it like tea. According to another version, melaleuca was so named due to the fact that its leaves color the water in dark color. In Australia, there is Brown Lake, along the banks of which Melaleuca grow. The fallen leaves of these plants line the bottom of the lake and color it in Brown color like tea.

Melaleuca are evergreen small to medium sized shrubs, some species grow into trees up to 25 m tall. Ovate or lanceolate leaves from 1 to 25 cm long and from 0.5 to 7 cm wide are arranged alternately on the branches, the edge of the leaf is solid, the color is from dark green to gray-green. Petioles are short or absent. The leaves contain glands with essential oils; when rubbed, a characteristic camphor aroma is felt. From some types of melaleuca, essential oils are industrially isolated - Australian tea tree oil, cajuput (cajuput, cajeput, cajeput) oil, Niaoli oil, etc. They differ slightly in chemical and quantitative composition, but all have antiseptic properties and are widely used in folk and traditional medicine, cosmetology and perfumery.

Tea tree flowers are small, yellow or cream color, in shape they resemble a brush for washing bottles. The shape of the inflorescence can be spherical or irregular (whereas all callistemons have brush-shaped inflorescences). The flowers on the branches are arranged alternately with the leaves and the inflorescences continue as young growths. The calyx consists of 5 sepals, which often fall off immediately after the start of flowering. The effect of the flowers is given by numerous stamens collected in 5 bunches, they are brightly colored in red, pink, lilac, purple or yellow. The peak of flowering for most species occurs in spring (in Australia - from September to November). Flowers work out a large number of nectar and are pollinated mainly by birds, but also by insects and bats. After flowering, hard capsules with small seeds are formed, which usually remain tightly closed and, in some species, often open only after the death of the tree or during a fire. Seeds in capsules can remain viable for more than one year.

This tree, or rather its leaves, are used to make essential oil. How and when people discovered amazing properties oil, which can be obtained from the leaves of melaleuca, is difficult to say. This was first mentioned by anthropologist Christopher Dean, who studied the life of the Australian Aborigines - they told him that the leaves of this tree have healing properties. Subsequently, Dean became one of the founders of the first tea tree plantations. In 1920, researcher A.R. Penfol from Sydney, studying the bactericidal properties of the oil obtained from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, received a very good results. By the 1930s, this remedy had become very popular and was used quite actively during the Second World War for disinfection and healing of wounds - until antibiotics began to be used. Then it was they who became the panacea for most ills, and tea tree oil was gradually forgotten. For 40 years, the industry of obtaining it has fallen into decline.

However, modern researchers are increasingly turning to means traditional medicine, and in the 70s, Melaleuca alternifolia again attracted the attention of scientists. Chemical analysis showed that the oil contained in its leaves contains more than 50 different biologically active components, and is especially rich in various terpenes, including cineole, a substance that has excellent anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties. In the leaves this plant contain caffeine, tannin, many vitamins, much more than in lemon. When rubbing a tea tree leaf, you can feel the aroma, reminiscent of camphor.

The tea tree is back on plantations, and now the production of oil from its leaves is growing every year, as is the demand for this mild but highly effective medicine.

The genus Melaleuca is very closely related to the genus Callistemon. The main difference is that all stamens in callistemons are attached to the flower independently of each other, while in melaleuka they are collected in 5 bunches. This difference is often clearly visible even to the naked eye, but is not clear enough for classification, and many botanists believe that callistemons should be included in the more numerous Melaleuca genus.

Most of the melaleuca species grow in the western part of Australia, where these plants form the most beautiful flowering thickets. All of them, like Melaleuca alternifolia, are shrubs, less often trees about 9 m high. The crowns of melaleuca are dense, shady, so that there is practically no vegetation under them. The leaves may be oblong, narrowly linear, or almost filiform. Beautiful white or pinkish-purple flowers with bright stamens are collected in dense capitate or ruff-shaped inflorescences. Melaleuca flowers are pollinated by insects, birds and mammals. For example, the flowers of broad-leaved melaleuca (M.quiquenervia) are visited by insects and birds during the day, and at night long-tongued Australian fruit bats (Synonycteris australis) fly to them - small animals from the order of bats. In place of pollinated flowers, fruits are formed, which eventually become woody and remain on the branches for several years.

Species, varieties: 236 species are known. The most common species is Melaleuca alternifolia, other species are Melaleuca viridiflora and Melaleuca leucadendra. Of them get essential oil. The species Melaleuca armillaris and Melaleuca howeana have no therapeutic value.

The most famous and popular species are "white-bark tea tree" (Melaleuka leucadendra), cajeput tree (M.cajuputi) and lemon tea tree (Leptospermum petersonii). The latter is bred on plantations in many countries of the world and essential oils with the smell of lemon are obtained from its leaves, which are used to flavor soaps and shampoos.

As a houseplant, usually only one species is grown - melaleuca alternifolia, which in nature grows up to 7 m. This melaleuca is famous for its unusual leaves: they reach a length of 12 cm and a width of no more than half a centimeter. Because of this, the leaves resemble needles.

Air humidity: In summer, the tea tree needs frequent spraying of leaves, the plant prefers high level air humidity.

Lighting: Lighting prefers sunny, but in the summer it is not advisable to put the pot in direct sunlight, as melaleuca can get burned.

Priming: It is not picky about the composition of the soil, but a slightly acidic and well-drained substrate is optimal. ground mix consists of peat, sand and sod land (2:1:1).

Watering: The tree must be watered abundantly in summer, and watering should be moderate in winter.

Care: Tea tree is an unpretentious plant. However, good solar lighting. Watering from spring to autumn is plentiful, in winter it is watered after pouring the top layer of the earth. Does not tolerate overdrying of an earthy coma. the main problem growing melaleuca in apartments - dry air. To maintain humidity, the plant should be sprayed, while this procedure will refresh the leaves from dust and promote growth.

Melaleuca as well as any myrtle tree needs a haircut, which is carried out constantly throughout the year, while the plant can be given any look, how diverse your imagination will be. Thanks to pruning, the flower takes root and grows faster.

The temperature in summer can be between 15-20°C, and in winter melaleuca can grow at 10°C. In nature, the plant can even tolerate temperatures as low as -7°C.

In winter, it is necessary to illuminate the plant with fluorescent, LED or special fitolamps, providing a 12-hour daylight hours. With absence additional lighting it is necessary to reduce the temperature of the content, the best place there will be a glazed non-freezing balcony, where the temperature should not fall below + 10 ° C. If the content is cool, it is necessary to reduce the amount of watering, keep the soil slightly moist.

top dressing: During the growing season, the plant needs top dressing, which should be done every two weeks.

reproduction: The tea tree is propagated by seeds that are planted immediately after harvest. Melaleuca seeds are small, they should be sown on the surface of the substrate, preferably inert mineral, and kept in a bright, warm place. Sowing is done at a depth of 3-4 cm.

In early spring and summer, the tea tree can be propagated using annual woody cuttings. Also in spring, a tea tree, or rather a seedling 15-20 cm long, is pruned to enhance tillering at a height of 10 cm from the soil surface. We do the second pruning the next year at a height of 15-30 cm. In general, pruning is done annually in order to expand the crown of the bush itself, to raise the height of the bush and to increase shoot formation.

Transfer: Young tea tree needs to be repotted once a year, and older plants are repotted as needed in the spring.

Possible difficulties: The main possible problems when growing melaleuca is the rotting of the root system. Possible reasons too abundant watering, or early pruning of leaves.

Pests: At home, it can be affected by spider mites and mealybugs.

In case of an excess of moisture, you should remove the pot to a cool, but not cold place and let the earth dry out. Melaleuka does not like overdrying of the soil. In winter, you should wait for the topsoil to dry out and only then water it. At this time of the year there is a danger of root rot.

Tea tree oil can be used in quite a variety of ways. This is an excellent antiseptic, which is used to treat wounds, burns, abscesses, severe stomatitis. It is also used to treat such complex skin diseases like psoriasis. In addition, tea tree oil has antifungal properties, so it can be used to treat various external fungal diseases. It also exhibits antiviral activity and can be used to treat herpes. Tea tree oil is used in pure form- for example, for the treatment of fungal diseases of the nails, and in the form aqueous solutions, which are washed with wounds, rinse the throat and mouth with various inflammatory processes in them.

15.03.2014

valida

17.12.2014

Olga Krymskaya

Myrtle family. Homeland - Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Indonesia, tropical America. More than 200 species of trees and shrubs are distributed in nature.

• Melaleuca alternifolia- branched evergreen tree, reaching in nature 7 m in height. It has a thin gray bark, the leaves are alternately arranged, tightly seated to each other, very narrow, lanceolate, about 12 cm long and 0.5 cm wide. From a distance, the plant resembles a conifer. The flowers are white, fragrant, collected in spike-shaped inflorescences. The petals of the flower are small, white, rounded. The stamens are white, very long and numerous, with yellow anthers.

The formation of the crown in melaleuca is carried out by cutting and pinching the shoots in the spring. The plant tolerates pruning well and responds with more abundant branching. This quality is used in the formation of bonsai from Malaleuki. The branches are flexible and plastic, you can form the direction with a wire.

Melaleuca - care

Temperature: Moderate in summer, preferably no higher than 28°C. In nature, melaleuca withstands slight frosts in winter, down to -7°C. But when grown in rooms optimum temperature in winter, during the dormant period + 8-10 ° C.

Lighting: full-fledged solar lighting, in summer shading on the southern and western windows during the hottest time from 12 to 15 hours.

Watering: plentiful from spring to autumn, the next day after the top layer of the earth has dried. In winter, water so that the soil has time to dry well, but does not dry out completely. Depending on the temperature, this can be once a month (if 8-10°C), or once every two weeks (if the temperature is around 15°C). Like all myrtle melaleuca, it does not tolerate overdrying of an earthen coma, but in order for the roots not to rot from dampness, a very well-drained soil is needed.

Subnorms: from March to August complex fertilizer for decorative and deciduous indoor plants. Top dressing every two weeks at the full dose.

Air humidity: In nature, the tea tree grows in swamps, along the coast, near streams, so it needs regular spraying. The main problem of growing in apartments is the dryness of the air. Greenhouse conditions will be optimal for melaleuca. Avoid placing pots near the heating system.

Transplant: annually in the spring, or replaced upper layer earth. Melaleuca grows well on slightly acidic soils and does not tolerate alkalization of the soil. Soil 2-3 parts sod, 1 part peat, 1 part humus, 1 part sand, 1 part vermiculite. At the bottom of the pot, you need to pour expanded clay drainage 2 cm high.

Reproduction: cuttings and seeds. Seeds are sown in bowls in the month of March, moisten the ground well, cover with glass. The earth in the bowl should be moist all the time, but not too damp. Crops are regularly aired (twice a day for 30 minutes). The cuttings are rooted in moist vermiculite in a room greenhouse.

• Australian tea tree oil Melaleuca alternifolia is used to treat minor cuts, burns, acne, fungal nail infections, vaginal yeast infections (thrush), as well as for cosmetic purposes - added to an aroma lamp, in a bath when bathing, for inhalations and rinses.
• Pure tea tree oil can cause irritation or allergic reactions. Therefore, it is used in a diluted form (together with olive or sunflower oil).
• Tea tree oil is not used inside without a doctor's prescription! And also not used for the treatment of mucous membranes, nose, ears.
• Cajeput oil is obtained from the white tea tree or Melaleuca cajeputi. Cajeput oil also has a bactericidal, disinfectant and wound healing effect.

Melaleuca or tea tree - trees and shrub plants families Myrtle. The genus is extensive and includes more than 200 representatives that have spread throughout Indonesia, Malaysia, and New Guinea. Melaleuca is often confused with, in fact they are closely related.

Representatives of the genus in the bulk are evergreen, medium-sized shrubs, excellent honey plants. Melaleuca trees are very large and can reach a height of over 40 meters. The size sheet plates varies from 1 cm to 25 cm. In species grown in room culture, the leaves resemble needles, they are hard and small, pointed at the ends. From the leaves of Australian melaleuca, valuable essential oil of tea tree is isolated, which is actively used for medical purposes, cosmetology and aromatherapy.

Melaleuca flowers are highly decorative. They have the shape of a ball, or brush, alternate with leaves, randomly located on the shoots.

Melaleuca bark has a characteristic structure, and, as it were, exfoliates from a tree trunk, for which it is also called paper tree . The shoots of the plant are quite thin, at home they can be cut off, forming a crown. In a room culture, they grow: linen melaleuka, diosmolous melaleuka, nesophila melaleuka, beautiful melaleuka. These plants are unpretentious, have a pleasant, refreshing aroma and do not require complex care.

Melaleuca care at home

Lighting

Melaleuca is grown in a sunny place. It is important to avoid exposure to direct sunlight in spring and summer, as burns may occur. In the off-season and in winter, when the intensity of natural light is significantly reduced, additional lighting with phytolamps is required. If the melaleuca does not have enough light, its shoots become thin and look unsightly.

Temperature

In winter, melaleuca begins a dormant period when it is kept in cool conditions at +10 degrees. The rest of the time the plant develops well at normal room temperature.

Air humidity

Tea tree at home requires high humidity. In the hot season, daily spraying is required. It is advisable to have a humidifier in the house, or place a pot with a plant near the aquarium, in the kitchen, or just in a tray with wet expanded clay.

Watering

Melaleuca is watered abundantly. The substrate should always be slightly damp. Waterlogging should not be allowed so that the roots of the plant do not rot. Overdrying the earthy coma is also dangerous, as the melaleuca immediately begins to shed its leaves. AT winter period watering is reduced.

It is important to use only good quality soft water.

top dressing

With early spring and until the end of summer, universal mineral fertilizer is required, every two weeks.

Transfer

A young tea tree grows quickly and needs to be repotted annually. It is enough to transplant adult plants every 2-3 years, increasing the pot. If the melaleuca has grown too large, cut off part of the root system and transplant into a new pot.

It is important to use enough drainage. The substrate is prepared from peat, sand and sod land (2:1:1).

reproduction

Melaleuca can be propagated by seeds and cuttings. Seeds are planted in a moist substrate under glass, where they germinate within two weeks.

Semi-lignified cuttings take root in water or in a peat cup with soil.

Pests

Tea tree at home is often infected with spider mites. It is important to keep the leaves clean and avoid crowded growing plants.

Photo melaleuca

Tea tree (Tea tree) is a genus of low-growing evergreen shrubs and woody plants belonging to the Myrtaceae family. But contrary to popular belief, this name has nothing to do with the industry of growing and producing tea. The second name of the genus is Melaleuca. These representatives of the flora are valued for their unusual appearance and are popular in room culture along with coffee tree. From this article, you will learn how to grow a tea tree at home, and what varieties of this exotic plant exist.

Characteristics of the tea tree

Melaleuca has a tart, pleasant aroma. Woody forms can reach a height of 25 m. The plant has a branched rhizome, branches and trunk are covered with thin gray or light brown bark, which is easily damaged and peeled, resembling a paper wrapper. Leaves of bright green color resemble needles. Buds of yellow, pink or cream color are collected in oval or spherical inflorescences. The tea bush emits essential oils in large quantities, which are widely used in cosmetology and medicine.

Popular types of tea tree

More than 200 species of melaleuca are currently known, but only a few are widely grown. Here are the most popular varieties with photos:

• Melaleuca bracteata - a tree grows up to 8 m, has a gray bark with cracked vertical stripes. The color of the leaves is dark green, with a grayish tint. Cream-colored inflorescences, cylindrical;

• Heather Melaleuca is a dense shrub with brownish or pale white “papery” bark. The leaves are dark green, linear type, the flowers are creamy white;

• Ordinary - represents beautiful tree up to 8 m high. It is this variety that is grown for the production of essential oils in industrial scale. The trunk is covered with the thinnest flaky bark, and young branches contain snow-white flowers and bright green leaves;

• Nesophila is a spreading shrub with oval-shaped leaves. The main difference between the species is bright pink inflorescences in the shape of a ball.

You can buy a tea tree seedling in a nursery or an online plant store. The price will depend on the type of melaleuca, its height and the volume of the pot. For example, the cost of a bush, from a rooted cutting 10 cm high in a square pot 9x9 cm, starts from 300 rubles.

How to care for a tea bush

A green pet is not at all capricious and it is very easy to take care of it at home. To provide him with lush regular flowering, you must follow some recommendations.

Earth mix and fertilizer for the tea bush

For melaleuca, neutral or slightly acidic soil, very loose, is well suited. To independently prepare the desired earth mixture, we combine sand, peat and sod land in the ratio 1:2:1.

During the period of intensive growth, the homemade tea tree is fertilized a couple of times a month with a complex fertilizer for indoor plants.

Humidity and watering for melaleuca

tea tree loves high humidity air, so caring for it includes constant spraying (especially in the heat).

• To increase the humidity, water is poured into the pan and expanded clay is poured;
• The tree requires generous systematic watering. When the soil layer dries out completely, the plant usually dies. Stagnation of water in the soil is also undesirable, it can lead to rotting of the roots;
• Settled soft water is best for irrigation. To soften hard water, on the advice of flower growers, add a little citric or acetic acid to it;
• In the cool winter season, the bush is watered less often and less. This process takes place after a slight drying of the top layer of the substrate.

Light and temperature for the plant

The "green resident" cannot do without bright lighting and is shaded from direct sunlight. The illumination level should be - 6000-7800 lux, and the light period - 12 hours. In case of insufficient light, such specimens are illuminated with the help of special fitolamps. If they get enough light all year round, plants can re-bloom in winter. But if there is not enough light, the shoots will become elongated, and a lot of foliage will fall.

If it is not possible to make additional lighting for melaleuca, it should winter at a temperature of 10 degrees. AT summer season the plant is comfortable even at high temperatures, but in the direct rays of the sun the leaves dry, and burns remain on them.

Pruning and features of tea tree transplantation

The plant needs regular pruning throughout the year. It can be shaped like a shrub or a tree, or shaped as you like. When pruning, you can get rid of branches that have faded, because they negatively affect the spectacular look.

• Young green specimens must be cut at a height of ten centimeters, so the bush will branch better. Next, each new stem is cut and this is done until the desired branching occurs;
• A young tea bush is transplanted once a year. For this procedure, a pot is selected in diameter larger than the previous one. Mature plants are transplanted as needed, if root system does not fit in a pot. But if it is not possible to make a transplant, they simply cut the roots and replace the top layer of soil.

Melaleuca breeding methods

Melaleuca propagates not only with the help of seeds, but also with annual lignified cuttings.

• Seeds are scattered on moist soil, and they do not require deepening;
• The box is covered with glass and placed in a bright place. After 1-1.5 weeks, the first sprouts will appear;
• If a temperature regime less than 20 degrees, it will take up to four weeks.

At first, seedlings grow very slowly, a large number of plants die. A tea bush grown from seeds will bloom for the first time in the sixth year of life.

Semi-lignified cuttings reach a length of 7-8 cm, and take root not only in the soil, but also in a glass of water. To increase the rooting process, funds are taken to help stimulate the growth of roots.

tea tree pests

If the bush is grown indoors, it can settle spider mites or get mealybugs. To destroy them, they are treated with insecticides such as Fitoverm, Aktellik or Akarin.

Video: Tea Tree Oil for Hair Health

Treatment of thrush at home Cocoa candles tea tree and not only

Candidiasis is a fairly common and very unpleasant disease that usually affects the female half of humanity. The worst thing is that you never know if she will catch up or not. And often medications do not work. How to treat thrush at home? With essential oils and more...

Thrush (in Latin Candida albicans) is a fungus that mainly affects the mucous membranes, and the intimate organs most often suffer from it. It has already been established that the Candida fungus always lives in a woman's body, and is activated only in situations that are critical for the body - stress, infectious diseases, and immunological or hormonal failures. At http://sana-med. com. ua/ you will find a large number useful information about her and other women's diseases, as well as their treatment with modern methods.

Treatment of thrush at home: what you need to know

Since Candida is a fungus, antibacterial drugs against it are powerless, and antifungal drugs are very active against it. However, for some reason, it often turns out that you heal candidiasis, and it starts again, or in general, medications do not help from this scourge. The reason for this can be anything - chronic stress, systematic infection (for example, if the carrier is an unsuspecting partner), poor immunity, hormonal contraceptives that "upset" the body, and even the use of ordinary toilet soap. Treatment of thrush during pregnancy is very often chronic, and after childbirth, candidiasis disappears. Essential oils and folk methods that Womensplay offers on its page will help reduce unpleasant manifestations.

Treatment of thrush at home: aromatherapy procedures

These procedures include:

• Warm baths
• Massage
• Applications
• Tampons with essential oils
• Candles from thrush

Essential oils that are used to combat candidiasis:

• Tea tree
• Lavender
• Myrrh

You can try to put a drop of lavender essential oil on the pad (literally one drop). In mild forms, it helps a lot.

Treatment of thrush at home: cocoa suppositories from thrush

Why cocoa butter? It's simple - it is the most easily hardening and melting oil, that is, the best transport oil that can help treat affected areas with antifungal elements, in particular, essential oils. In addition, pathogenic bacteria do not accumulate and multiply in it, and its gentle and soft consistency is not washed off, as it would be, say, with an ordinary herb decoction. If desired, you can melt cocoa butter (90%) with sea buckthorn oil (10%)

Recipe: take 10 disposable syringes of 2 ml and cut off their “spouts” with the upper part of the body. Melt 30 ml of cocoa butter in a water bath in a clean, disinfected container, remove from heat, cool. Quickly, before the oil has set, stir 20-30k of tea tree essential oil into it and pour into syringes. When the oil hardens, you just have to hold the syringe in your hand so that the walls “thaw out” and squeeze the candle into a specially prepared foil case (wrap for storage in the freezer). For 5 days of treatment, you have candles for thrush ready.

In addition to tea tree, you can use essential oils of yarrow, thyme, lavender (look at the proportions), as well as honey (a little bit literally).

Use them as directed twice a day.

Treatment of thrush at home: how to lubricate?

In parallel with the main treatment, it is good to lubricate the affected areas with the following mixtures:

- cumin oil 10ml + 5k lavender + 5k tea tree;

- sea buckthorn oil with tea tree or lavender (5ml oil + 5k ether);

Compositions for douching (2-3 times a day):

- Dissolve 5k tea tree / chamomile / lavender in 0.5 ml of propolis tincture, dissolve the mixture in 1 liter of boiled water;

1 l decoction of chamomile and calendula;

Soda solution (5 tsp per 1 liter) (only for acute inflammation and not often!)

Folk remedies

• Tibetan milk mushroom (douching + inside)
• Sea buckthorn oil
• Honey (natural antiseptic)
• Tampons with chlorphyllipt
• Baths with greenery
• Tampons with sea buckthorn oil with tea tree and lavender (5ml oil + 5k ether)

Pay attention to food

The patient's diet should contain fermented milk products (yogurt, kefir), as well as moderately sweet fruits, vegetables, stewed and boiled food over fried food. However, overdoing it with sour milk is also not worth it - it can provoke an exacerbation. In addition to medical drugs “targeted” at treating thrush (and, by the way, herpes), take yogurt preparations containing beneficial bacteria that prevent the fungus from multiplying. Exclude smoked, salty, fried, as well as products with yeast in the composition. Boost your immunity. At the time of treatment, "refrain" from intimate relationships.

And, of course, visit the appropriate doctor, since the nature of the disease can be different, and the treatment of thrush at home can be delayed to adverse circumstances, and some folk methods and there will be very few candles from thrush ...

How to grow a tea tree

Prepare small containers with soil, and plant the selected seeds there, deepening them into the soil by 2-5 cm. Lightly sprinkle them with loose earth, spray the planting site with water, cover it with a cropped plastic bottle(for additional insulation) and put it outside the window, avoiding areas where direct sunlight falls. The place for the pot should be well lit and warm. Do not forget to periodically spray the ground (it must be constantly wet) and ventilate it. You can easily loosen the soil around the seeds with a fork.

Bonsai karmona description of home care

Karmona can be used to produce any style of bonsai. With the help of wire, 1- and 2-year-old branches easily take on a given shape. For older and stiffer branches, special tensioners are used to prevent damage to the bark.

Often, novice hobbyists buy a tree with an already outlined bonsai style, which can later be improved. It takes at least a year to form.

When removing old branches, the place of circumcision is treated with garden pitch. Already strengthened shoots that have grown to 10-20 cm should be shortened to 1-3 leaves. It depends on the stage of development and the state of health of the tree.

reproduction

Bonsai karmona propagated using seeds or cuttings. During pruning of an annual tree, cuttings up to 10 cm in size are obtained. They can be planted in a small greenhouse made into which a mixture of peat and sand is poured. It is very important to support high humidity and a temperature of about + 18ºС, moderate watering. Often for rapid growth roots use special stimulants, which increases the chance of getting cuttings with a developed root system. When cuttings, the plants completely repeat the maternal characteristics.

Propagation by seeds is a longer and laborious process, in which the qualities of the tree from which they are obtained are not always transferred.

Pests bonsai karmona

As with any carmona bonsai plant, home care requires proper watering, top dressing, etc., besides, the tree is highly susceptible various diseases and pests. It can be mealy worms, scale insects, in summer the plant often suffers from the attack of aphids, chlorosis and spider mites.

The most common pests:

The most typical manifestations of diseases or pest attacks experienced by karmona bonsai are leaves falling, turning pale or brown, and losing color. All these signs indicate that it is necessary to look for the cause and the tree urgently needs to be saved.

Bonsai diseases

Diseases that affect bonsai carmona:

• False and powdery mildew- the most common problem among these plants, in which spots with gray fluff appear on the leaves, over time the leaves darken and deteriorate. You can cure a tree by cutting off the affected leaves (which are then burned), after which they should be treated with a fungicide. The plant itself is quarantined so as not to infect the rest.
• Chlorosis is a disease in which the plant loses color from lack of sun and loss of nutrients. For treatment, the tree is placed in a sunny place and fed with fertilizers.

At proper care karmona bonsai will grow into a magnificent beautiful tree that will become an evergreen mini-masterpiece standing on a tray.

tea tree oil for whitening teeth at home

Whitening pastes contain small abrasive elements that allow you to lighten the enamel, but do it aggressively. They remove the discoloration along with its upper part, which can lead to the onset of tooth decay.

Self whitening teeth activated carbon or tea salt is built on the same principle. The oil acts gently and, unlike other methods, does not cause much harm to the teeth. It gently affects the enamel and whitens it no worse than in a solarium with ultraviolet radiation.

Rinsing or rubbing gruel with aloe can be used for a long time without harming the teeth. Here, tea tree oil works no worse than banana peel, a mixture of which also whitens teeth when rubbed. Only this method works much more slowly.

Besides what is the most effective remedy to obtain a whitening effect, tea tree heals the oral cavity. It carries out the prevention of periodontal disease, helps to get rid of tartar, does not allow plaque to form, eliminates bacteria and inflammation.

Side effects of the oil

This folk remedy has its own contraindications and possible side effects, they must be taken into account:
People who are allergic to celery and thyme may have problems using tea tree oil, so it is best for them to refrain from using it. It contains potential allergens for them.

Method not suitable for breastfeeding and pregnant women, it is not recommended to use it during this period.

Children and teenagers under the age of 16 it is also better to refrain from using tea tree oil.
If the recommended course time is not observed, enamel thinning is possible, with the exception of the aloe vera option.

It is important to use only high quality tea tree essential oil for teeth whitening. It is recommended to purchase it in a pharmacy, and not in a cosmetic store or supermarket.

Fixing whitening

A white diet after teeth whitening will help to prolong and keep it for a long time, it is also called transparent because of the ban on the use of coloring products. It is recommended to be observed during the course and for a week after its completion.

The following products are excluded:

• Strong black tea and coffee, any drinks with cocoa
• Chocolate
• Juices, wine, desserts containing dyes
• Various sauces with natural colors
• Coloring fresh vegetables like carrots and beets

This food is excluded for 2 weeks, if you still had to eat something from the list, you should immediately brush your teeth with regular toothpaste to preserve their color. For smokers, it is recommended to limit the number of cigarettes for this period or completely refuse them if possible.

Tea tree oil helps to whiten teeth without harming the enamel if all recommendations are followed. It is easily accessible and suitable for most people. You can choose the most suitable method of enamel whitening and enjoy a snow-white smile.