The oil is sold both as neat oil in small bottles, and in a wide range of toiletry and health-care products. Overseas production is currently very low, but there are indications that a number of countries will soon produce a significant volume of oil. The oil is extracted from tea tree leaves and the level of production depends equally on the yield of leaf and the concentration of oil in leaves at harvest time. The yield of leaf is strongly correlated with the overall growth and yield of biomass. The cineole concentration is more controversial.
Tea trees grow best with ample supplies of heat and moisture.
The trees are susceptible to frost damage. Light to moderate frost will affect only young growth, but a severe frost will cause extensive defoliation and kill some trees. The plants have a poor regulation of water use and growth will decline markedly as the soil begins to dry out. However, shallow groundwater can maintain much of the turgidity and growth of plants when the topsoil dries out. Hence, the need for irrigation is determined by both the local rainfall and groundwater supplies.