Guide to Honey Myrtle Essential Oil Benefits and Uses

Honey myrtle essential oil (Melaleuca teretifolia) is part of the Melaleuca genus, related to tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia). Honey myrtle contains more citral (a natural mixture of geranial and neral) than any of the other essential oils distilled from Melaleuca plants. Citral has powerful purifying properties effective against many microbes.

Basic Honey Myrtle Facts

Plant family: Myrtaceae

Production: Steam distilled from the leaves, twigs, and soft white flowers of a shrub (that can grow up to 20 feet tall) native to Australia.

Aroma: Fresh, herbaceous, lemony. The Complete Aromatherapy & Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness describes the aroma as reminiscent of a soothing cup of lemon tea with honey.

Perfume/Aromatic note: Middle to top.

Main components: Geranial, neral, and beta-myrcene, according to Essential Oil Safety, 2nd Edition. (Remember, the combination of geranial and neral is called citral.)

Is honey myrtle safe to use during pregnancy? No, according to "Aromatherapy Blending for Pregnancy" by Amber Duncan, Spring 2016.1, Aromatherapy Journal, p. 63. Essential Oil Safety advises caution. Consult a professional.

Is honey myrtle safe for children? Do not use on the skin of children under age 2, according to Essential Oil Safety and "Safe Essential Oil Use with Children: Newborn to Five Years Old" by Amber Duncan, Aromatherapy Journal, Summer 2015.2, p. 59.

Cautions: Honey myrtle may irritate sensitive skin. Do not use on hypersensitive, diseased, or damaged skin. Some sources recommend using a maximum dilution of 0.7% for skin applications—that’s about 4 drops in 1 ounce/30 ml/2 tablespoons carrier oil). However, Essential Oil Safety sets the maximum at 0.9%.

Possible drug interactions with diabetes medications and drugs metabolized by CYP2B6, which includes some antidepressants.

Honey Myrtle Essential Oil Benefits

The Complete Aromatherapy & Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness: Honey myrtle oil increases cerebral blood flow yet is calming and sedative. The oil can help relieve fatigue, muscle spasms and cramps, and a stuffy head. Because the oil has a pleasant aroma and is highly effective against microbes, it makes a nice addition to diffuser blends and inhalers to help prevent infection.

Cleaning

Honey myrtle oil's citral content makes it great for natural cleaning blends, including surface sprays and diffuser blends. The oil supports a fresh, healthy environment by killing microbes and removing unpleasant odors. Try it in bathroom cleaning blends.

One source suggested this essential oil as an insect repellent. However, Chemistry World notes that while citral is a mild repellent for some insects, the scent attracts bees.

Respiratory Health

Honey myrtle oil promotes healthy lungs and airway function by helping clear congestion.

Sinus Support Inhaler

Drop the following essential oils onto the wick of an aromatherapy inhaler:

• 5 drops honey myrtle
• 5 drops eucalyptus radiata
• 4 drops white spruce
• 2 drops peppermint

Source: Aromatics

Buy Aromatics's Honey Myrtle Essential Oil.

Muscles and Skin

Muscle and Joint Health

Citral soothes soreness, aches, and discomfort, making honey myrtle useful for muscle and joint care. The oil is beneficial in massage oil blends to help ease everyday aches and tension and calm muscle spasms and tightness.

Skin Health

Honey myrtle supports the skin and cell regeneration, making the oil useful to help relieve conditions such as acne, cuts, burns, and minor infections.

Body - Mind - Spirit

Honey myrtle uplifts, invigorates, and refreshs mind, body, and spirit by reducing both physical and emotional fatigue. The aroma is both calming and uplifting and may promote mental focus.

Emotionally, citral is soothing and can help calm agitation and ease melancholy, according to Aromatics. Use the oil in stress-relieving body oils or diffuser blends.

Uplifting Diffuser Stock Blend

• 20 drops grapefruit essential oil
• 20 drops bergamot essential oil
• 10 drops honey myrtle essential oil
• 3 drops clove bud essential oil

Blend the essential oils in a 5 ml dark-color glass dropper bottle. Use 5 to 10 drops of the blend, according to your diffuser's instruction. Safe for children age 5+.

Adapted from Aromatics

The Thriving Aromatherapist Newsletter states the oil encourages deep relaxation, saying, "The oil's calming and emotionally supportive energy creates a lighter feeling in any environment." The newsletter also states the oil offers natural protection against oxidative stress and and also soothes irritation, especially when you're feeling inflamed or sensitive.

The newsletter suggests this cleansing, uplifting, calming, and clarifying blend for mornings to refresh and clear your space.

• 3 drops honey myrtle
• 3 drops juniper berry essential oil
• 3 drops lavender essential oil

Use according to your diffuser's instructions.

Chakra Support

Chakra Balancing with Nature’s Gifts: Honey myrtle supports the sacral (second) chakra to help bring pleasure and connection back to life. This essential oil oil helps you focus on the adventure and purpose behind your efforts during times of high pressure or hard work. The oil also strengthens psychic connections with individuals, objects, and distant locations, making it a valuable tool for sending energy.

Stillpoint Aromatics: Honey myrtle supports the second chakra (relationships, creation energy), third chakra (personal power), and sixth (third eye) chakra (perspective, balancing, clarity, protective, uplifting).

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Photo Credit: Geoff Derrin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons