Cajeput tree is the common name

Common name

A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...

 used for certain members of the genus Melaleuca

Melaleuca

Melaleuca is a genus of plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae known for its natural soothing and cleansing properties. There are well over 200 recognised species, most of which are endemic to Australia...

, native to Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

, commonly known within the aromatherapy trade in North America as the Tea Tree. Primarily it refers to M. leucadendra

Melaleuca leucadendra

Melaleuca leucadendra is a tree belonging to the Melaleuca genus. The common name, Cajuput Tree, is derived from the Malay word kayu putih - meaning "white wood".-Description:...

, M. linariifolia

Melaleuca linariifolia

Melaleuca linariifolia, popularly known as Snow-in-Summer, is a plant native to eastern Australia. Other names include Narrow-leaved Paperbark, Flax-leaved Paperbark and the Gadigal Budjur....

, M. viridflora and M. quinquenervia

Melaleuca quinquenervia

Melaleuca quinquenervia, commonly known as Niaouli or Broad-leaved paperbark or the Paper Bark Tea Tree, is a small- to medium-sized tree of the allspice family, Myrtaceae. The plant is native to New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea and coastal Eastern Australia, from Botany Bay in New South Wales...

. The cajeput trees are the source of cajeput oil, an essential oil

Essential oil

An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils or aetherolea, or simply as the "oil of" the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove...

 used in aromatherapy

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials, known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person's mind, mood, cognitive function or health....

. All of these trees are evergreens with pointed leaves and white,red or green flowers. The flexible trunk has a white spongy bark that flakes off easily.

The trees, and especially the essential oils, are held in high regard throughout the East. The essential oil of the Cajeput trees have many aromatherapeutic and herbal uses. Cajeput trees grown in Australia are well known for having the most powerful therapeutic properties. Compared to other countries, Australia's Cajeput contains the highest anti-infectious properties (cineol, pinene and others), Thus, Australian Cajeput is a favorite amongst health professionals when choosing the finest Cajeput in the world.