Tea Tree Species
Our land is covered by two types of local tea tree; about 95% Leptospermum Laevigatum (coastal tea tree) and 5% Melaleuca Lanceolata (Moonah). These two types of tea tree are closely related, and are called tea trees in Australia because our first British visitors (James Cook and co) brewed the leaves to make tea. These days the oil is also extracted to make tea-tree oil, which has a strong pleasant fragrance and is known for its therapeutic properties.
The coastal tea tree flowers from August to early December, and our first honey harvest is a tea tree honey. The Moonah tree flowers in February, and sometimes we produce small batches of Moonah honey. The rest of the time our honey is a local flora honey, mainly from the many and varied plants and trees on our acreage.
Recently, there has been interest in the health properties of honey derived from tea trees, in particular for its anti-bacterial properties. The better known of these is Manuka Honey, from the New Zealand Manuka tree Leptospermum Scoparium. The interest has now turned to Australian Leptospermum species.
At Moonah Dunes we are very excited by a 2011 Australian study* finding that honey from Leptospermum species (tea trees) has significant anti-microbial / anti-bacterial properties. Like honey derived from the Manuka tree, the research found that honey from various species of Australian leptospermums has non-peroxide anti-bacterial properties.
A new study has just been started in 2014 to get more extensive data about the antibacterial properties of Australian tea tree honey and we eagerly await the results...
Due to our unique tea trees, and also because we have so far been spared from the varroa mite that is decimating bee colonies in other parts of the world including New Zealand, we think that Australian honey will soon be recognised as the premium honey in the world for both its taste and health benefits.
*The Antibacterial Activity of Honey Derived from Australian Flora: authors Julie Irish, Shona Blair, Dee A. Carter University of Sydney. Published 28 March 2011 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018229
A view of the tea trees from the top of our sand dune. They are high pollen and high nectar producing trees, flowering from late August through to December. Our December harvest honey is predominantly a tea tree honey, which can be easily identified by its distinctive taste. Once the tea-trees stop flowering the bees turn their attention to the local flora, and in late summer we harvest the local flora honey.
Melaleuca Lanceolata in flower on the property; January 2016