Eucalyptus globulus
Blue gum
CautionOther names: Blue gum, Tasmanian blue gum
Blue gum—widely planted eucalyptus; leaf oil economy and aroma.
Tall tree with adult "saucer" leaves.
- Family
- Myrtaceae
- Plant type
- Tree
What the safety levels mean (expand legend)
- Generally recognised as safe. Often a common herb with reasonable harvest and use; still read the specific warnings on the card.
- Information. Primarily informational — details in the text and warnings below matter most.
- Caution. Needs extra care (dose, duration, sensitive groups, interactions).
- Risky. Significant risks — verify sources, contraindications and professional guidance.
- Not for home experimentation. Not suitable to experiment with at home without knowledge and certainty.
- High risk for internal use. Particular risk with internal use (e.g. alkaloids); avoid prolonged or irresponsible dosing.
- Not specified. Level not filled in yet — rely on individual warnings and links below.
Photograph on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).
Plant habit
Safety — read before use
For this herb it is important to check warnings, mix-ups and cautions. Start with the Safety section.
Quick overview
A practical summary; details are in the sections below.
- Safety grade
- Caution details
- Scientific sources on the card
- Yes — sources are listed with claims Science section
- When and what to harvest
- Leaf — January–December
- Processing methods
Inhalation, Herbal infusion (tea), Bath additive
All methods and recipes on the card- Topics and symptoms
Common cold — overall comfort, Cough and mucus, Muscles after exertion
Topics section, Symptoms overview
Identification and mix-ups
Adult leaves differ from juvenile forms.
Possible mix-ups and risks
Other eucalypts—confirm species label.
Similar herbs
- Tea tree
A related myrtle-family tree with an essential oil; eucalyptus yields a camphorous, cineole oil for the airways, tea tree a resinous one for the skin. Do not confuse them in the bottle or in use.
Topics and symptoms
More topics are in the symptoms and topics overview.
- Common cold — overall comfortTraditional· Traditional / cultural framing
- Cough and mucusTraditional· Traditional / cultural framing
- Muscles after exertionTraditional· Traditional / cultural framing
Geographic occurrence
Australia
Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)
Harvest
- LeafJanuary–December
celoročně
Region: AustraliaNotes: The older sickle-shaped leaves of mature trees are harvested (not the bluish round leaves of juvenile shoots), all year; they dry in the shade. The oil is distilled industrially from leaves and twigs.
Storage
- Drying(Leaf)
Dried leaves keep 12 months in a closed container; the oil 2 years in a dark bottle.
- Light:
- Out of light.
- Moisture:
- Protect from moisture.
- Safety:
- Keep the oil away from children — a few millilitres swallowed are dangerous.
Processing methods on this herb card
Breathing steam from a herbal infusion; mind temperature and irritants.
Full method description (from the catalogue)
Steam inhalation brings moisture and dissolved volatiles toward upper-airway mucosa. Temperature must be safe — distance above the bowl or a dedicated inhaler reduces scald risk.
Keep first sessions short; stop if dizzy.
Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no
Infusion or brief extraction in hot water; usually without long boiling.
Full method description (from the catalogue)
In the narrow sense, "tea" often means an infusion: you pour water just off the boil over the dried plant matter and let it steep for a few minutes. Temperature, steep time, and the herb-to-water ratio change both flavour and what dissolves into the liquid.
Compared with a decoction, heat exposure is shorter and gentler; tender leaves and flowers are often better as an infusion than with prolonged simmering. For each herb, always follow the plant card for suitable plant part, preparation, and safety notes — general rules never replace species-level judgement.
Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no
Leaf tea only from age 12 and in small amounts (EMA monograph); the taste is sharp and camphorous.
Addition to bath water or a bath decoction; topical use.
Full method description (from the catalogue)
Bath preparations transfer soluble compounds into water for short-term skin contact. Concentration and water temperature change sensation and possible irritation.
Rinse the tub afterwards so residues from strongly coloured plants do not linger.
Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no
Traditional / spiritual use
Kept separate from science — entries are cultural or symbolic, not medical advice.
Eucalyptus smoke for welcome and cleansing
General
Traditional useFolk useRitualSymbolismFor Aboriginal Australians eucalypts are trees of country, story and practice: green leaves are laid on the fire in smoking ceremonies that welcome visitors, cleanse a place and accompany mourning, and crushed leaves or their decoction belonged to the household medicine of many nations. The first eucalyptus oil in Europe was distilled in 1788 by surgeon John White in Sydney. A record of tradition, not effect.
- Form:
- kouřové obřady, list v tradiční medicíně, strom krajiny
- Claim strength:
- Tradition
- Source note:
- Aboriginal Australian smoking ceremonies (regionally varied); John White, Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales (1790).
Scientific notes
Each claim lists a study type and a source (URL or DOI) where available. Dose notes from the literature are informational only.
How to read evidence strength and study type labels
Labels summarise how the catalogue entry is tagged — they are not a medical verdict on efficacy. For every row, read the summary, limitations and source link.
Evidence strength
- Evidence level not specified
- The author did not grade the record; judge from the summary, limitations and source link.
- Narrative / orientational literature
- Descriptive or expert literature without controlled group comparison — context rather than proof of effect.
- Weak evidence
- Study or conclusion with major methodological limits; treat only as a pointer for further reading.
- Preliminary findings
- First or smaller studies — interesting direction, not the final word on efficacy or safety.
- Moderate strength of evidence
- Moderate strength by study design; sample and context limits still apply.
- Stronger evidence
- Stronger design or consistency of results within the study's stated limits.
- Review article
- A review summarises multiple sources; quality depends on review method and field.
Study type
- Narrative / expert text
- Expert text or overview without a classical study design.
- In vitro study
- Cell culture or test-tube experiment — does not show an effect in the body.
- Animal study
- Animal model — transfer to humans is not automatic.
- Observational study
- Observing groups without random treatment assignment; confounding is possible.
- Clinical trial
- Human clinical trial; sample size and control group matter.
- Randomised controlled trial
- Randomised controlled trials are among the stronger designs when well conducted.
- Review study
- A review aggregates multiple papers — quality depends on selection rules.
- Systematic review
- Systematic review with explicit search and selection methodology.
- Meta-analysis
- Statistical pooling of studies; outcome depends on input data and heterogeneity.
- Regulatory assessment / monograph (EMA, WHO…)
- Regulatory body summary for a herbal product — different context from a single RCT; often about products, not home tea.
- Expert monograph (herbal preparations)
- Structured literature summary for a plant or drug — quality depends on author and edition year.
The HMPC accepted, on the basis of long-standing use, eucalyptus leaf for relief of cough in colds for adults and children from 12 (comminuted leaf; tincture adults only). A separate oil monograph allows inhalation, external use and baths from age 4 and internal use from 12 for cough and localised muscle pain.
Review articleRegulatory assessment / monograph (EMA, WHO…)Year: 2013Limitations: Traditional use; clinical data concern isolated 1,8-cineole, not the leaf. Not for small children (laryngospasm after cineole); the oil internally only in prescribed doses.
EMA Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC)
European Union herbal monograph on Eucalyptus globulus Labill., folium
Images
The main photo is in the card header. More images will appear here when available.
Safety
What the warning types mean
The type on each warning helps group themes — it does not replace the separate severity badge.
- Internal use
- Risks from swallowing, extracts, duration of use or concentration for internal use.
- Interactions / medicines
- Possible effect on medicines or concurrent treatment — check sources and a professional.
- Raw plant parts
- Raw, unripe or poorly prepared plant parts can be dangerous.
- Toxins and regulation
- Toxic constituents or regulated compounds (e.g. in distillates).
- Contact with the plant
- Skin or mucosa irritation from contact with fresh plant or sap.
- Allergy
- Allergic reactions, often linked to family sensitisation.
- Harvesting and contamination
- Contamination, species mix-ups or harvesting from unsuitable places.
- The oil and small childrenHigh severityInternal use
Eucalyptus oil is toxic when swallowed even in millilitres, and in infants and small children cineole products on the face or in the nose can trigger laryngospasm; the EMA monograph permits inhalation and skin use only from age 4 and internal use from 12. Keep the bottle away from children; no leaf tea under 12.