Eucalyptus Leaves: Benefits, Uses, Tea, Safety & How to Grow

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Eucalyptus leaves are the fragrant, blue-green leaves of the eucalyptus tree, and their oil glands release a cool, menthol-like vapor that opens a stuffy head and loosens a chesty cough when you breathe it in as steam.101 I call eucalyptus the number one essential oil to open up the airways, and the leaves give you that same oil in its whole-plant form, whether you hang a bundle in a hot shower, breathe over a bowl of steaming leaves or sip a light cup of tea.73711

When a cold settles into your nose and chest, the swelling and mucus you feel are your airways defending you, trapping the infection so your body can move it out. Eucalyptus works with that clearing. As I explain in my herbs and oils guide, its main compound, 1,8-cineole, thins mucus and calms airway inflammation, so the mucus loosens and you can breathe freely again.112

People have turned to these leaves through colds and coughs for generations,1314 and cold and flu season is when they earn their place in your home. That guide's cold and flu kit includes eucalyptus oil for steam,1 and the oil itself is steam-distilled from these same leaves; our full guide to eucalyptus oil covers the bottle in depth.15

Did you know?

• There are about 900 species of eucalyptus, and more than 300 of them carry essential oil in their leaves.16

• The FDA lists eucalyptus leaves among the natural flavoring substances allowed in food.17

• On young eucalyptus trees the leaves are often round and blue-green, and they change shape as the tree matures.10

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What are eucalyptus leaves?

Of the hundreds of eucalyptus species with oil in their leaves, about 20 make an oil that's more than 70% cineole.16 The species used in medicine is known as the blue gum, so you'll also see the leaves sold as gum leaves or blue gum leaves.15 Crush one between your fingers and you'll smell a fresh, menthol-like scent that reminds many people of mint leaves, though the compound behind it is cineole rather than menthol.1011

Beyond the oil, the leaf carries a mix of plant compounds: quercetin compounds and other flavonoids, tannins called proanthocyanidins and ellagitannins, ellagic acid, triterpenes, and a group called macrocarpals.11 The oil is the part the European Pharmacopoeia measures, and it sets a minimum for medicinal eucalyptus leaf of at least 20 mL of oil per kilogram of whole dried leaf.15

A short history of eucalyptus leaves

Eucalyptus is native to Australia, where the Dharawal people used eucalypt leaves for colds, fever, and chest and muscle pain, and prized them for inflammation, long before lab tests showed those leaf extracts calming inflammatory signals in mouse immune cells.13 The tree has since been planted far beyond Australia, and its medicine traveled with it. In Ethiopia's traditional medicine, eucalyptus is now the plant cited most often for respiratory problems, and in a traditional community in northeastern Brazil, families make eucalyptus leaf tea and steam inhalations for their children's flu, nasal congestion, sinusitis, fever and cough.1819

Europe recognizes that long use: the European Medicines Agency lists eucalyptus leaf as a traditional herbal medicine for relieving a cough with a cold, based on at least 30 years of use, 15 of them in the European Union.14

Eucalyptus is also evergreen, and its leaves, rather than its fruit, are its medicine, which brings to mind Ezekiel's vision of the trees growing beside the river, "whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed ... and the leaf thereof for medicine" (Ezekiel 47:12).20

What are eucalyptus leaves good for?

How eucalyptus leaves work in your body

Your nose, sinuses and airways are lined with a moist membrane that catches germs and sweeps them out. When a cold settles in, that lining swells and makes extra mucus to trap the infection, and as the mucus thickens it gets harder to clear, sitting in your sinuses and chest like a clog in a drain. That's when you feel stuffed up and start to cough. Eucalyptus helps your body do the clearing it was designed to do, and that work starts in the leaf's oil glands.112

The leaf has a second set of compounds that work where they touch. Its macrocarpals act against the bacteria behind plaque and gum disease in lab tests, and macrocarpal A switches on the genes skin cells use to make ceramides, the fats that keep your skin barrier sealed.2829 That's why the same leaf turns up in research on gums, breath and dry skin as well as on the airways.

Eucalyptus leaf benefits, ranked by evidence

Eucalyptus does its best work in your airways, and I rank its top uses as sinus congestion, cough and bronchitis, airway inflammation, muscle aches and airborne germs.1 Research on eucalyptus extracts adds healthier gums, fresher breath and softer skin.456

Eucalyptus leaves in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, an herb has to fit the pattern, and as I teach it, colds and flu come in different types, sometimes a heat pattern and sometimes a cold pattern, with different herbs suited to each.30 Eucalyptus is cooling and pungent, and it goes to the lungs, which makes it best for thick congestion, a cough and stuffy sinuses.1 That puts it among the cooling foods and herbs.

Chinese medicine also has a name for the heavy, phlegmy feeling of a chest cold. The phlegm and mucus that build up with bronchitis and other respiratory infections are what it calls dampness, and the goal is to help your body expel them.30 A cooling, pungent herb that helps your airways clear fits that job well, which is why eucalyptus steam suits a damp, congested chest.1

Eucalyptus tea: benefits and how to make it

A cup of eucalyptus tea gives you the leaf two ways at once. As it steeps, cineole rises with the steam, so you breathe it in while you drink,15 and the warm cup is a comfort when your throat is raw. Brewed light, tea is the gentlest way to take the leaf by mouth, and a tea made from the leaf is its main food use.11

Eucalyptus leaf has also been used traditionally for diabetes, and in diabetic mice, eucalyptus leaves added to their food, with an infusion in place of their drinking water, slowed the rise in blood sugar.32

Use dried leaves sold as tea, or leaves from your own tree, and brew it lighter than most herbal teas. A slice of fresh ginger or a sprig of thyme steeps nicely alongside it, and a teaspoon of raw honey softens the flavor once the tea has cooled a little.

How to use eucalyptus leaves

My home remedy for a cold is eucalyptus and peppermint, with ginger added: lean over a bowl of warm water with a towel over your head and take deep breaths in and out, or put the same oils in a diffuser.7 The leaves work the same way, and a handful of fresh or dried leaves fills the bowl with their oil as the water steams. When you use the bottled oil instead, my amounts are 2 to 3 drops in a bowl of hot water, 3 to 5 drops in a diffuser, 3 drops on the shower floor, or 2% to 3% in a carrier oil for a chest rub, which works out to 2 to 3 drops per teaspoon.1 With a respiratory infection, I recommend a balm of coconut oil and essential oils rubbed on your chest, followed by a hot shower with the water hitting your chest.30

How to dry and store eucalyptus leaves

To dry your own leaves, hang the stems upside down in a dry, airy spot in your home, or strip off the leaves and spread them on a paper towel on the counter. They're ready when they turn crisp and leathery. Store them whole in a sealed glass jar away from light and heat, and crush them just before you use them, so more of their scent ends up in your steam or tea.

Where to buy eucalyptus leaves

Health food stores and online herb shops sell dried, cut eucalyptus leaf for tea, and garden centers and florists carry fresh stems for a shower bundle. When you can, choose leaf labeled Eucalyptus globulus, the species the European monograph covers.14 The easiest supply of all is a tree of your own, and the growing section below shows how.

Eucalyptus leaf remedies and recipes

These home remedies start with leaves you've dried or picked, and most of them begin with a tincture or an infused oil. For the oil, choose olive oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil or almond oil, the carrier oils my guide recommends.1

The infused oil below carries the leaf to your skin, and with a little beeswax it becomes a chest balm. Dried calendula flowers, steeped alongside the leaves, make it a richer oil for dry skin.

For a classic menthol-style rub, see our homemade vapor rub. The last remedy freezes eucalyptus tea into small chips that melt slowly on a scratchy throat, and our homemade cough drops recipe makes a honey-based version.

How to grow eucalyptus

Eucalyptus grows quickly when you give it full sun, shelter from strong wind and well-drained soil, and a young tree can put on 1 meter (about 3 feet) or more in a year.10 These evergreen trees and shrubs come mainly from Australia, so they dislike frost, shade, soggy soil and exposed spots.10

Where winters are cold, grow one in a large container, at least 60 cm (about 2 feet), so you can move it into shelter before a hard frost.10 Feed a potted eucalyptus monthly through the growing season, while a tree planted in the ground needs little feeding once it's settled.10 Cutting it back hard to the base, called coppicing, or to a short trunk, called pollarding, keeps it compact and within reach.10 Then snip stems as you need them for a shower bundle, a steam bowl or a batch of leaves to dry.

Are eucalyptus leaves poisonous? Side effects and safety

Never swallow eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus is one of the tree oils I never recommend taking internally.3334 Among 109 young children hospitalized after swallowing eucalyptus oil, 28% became drowsy or lost consciousness, and three who had swallowed 5 to 10 mL, one to two teaspoons, were unconscious, though all recovered.8 In a survey of parents of young children who had swallowed or may have swallowed the oil, most children got it from a home vaporizer, often one set on the floor.35 Keep bottles closed and up high, keep steam bowls and diffusers out of reach, and if a child swallows eucalyptus oil, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or a doctor right away.

Don't eat raw leaves. Dried leaves are 1% to 3% oil, and some of their other compounds haven't been tested for safety, so use the leaves as steam, a bundle, a light tea or an infused oil.11

Tea and tincture. The European Medicines Agency's traditional-use guidance covers eucalyptus leaf tea and steam for adults and children over 12, and the tincture by mouth for adults only.14 If a cough or congestion lasts more than a week, see a doctor.14

Babies and young children. Don't use leaf preparations with children under 30 months, because they can trigger laryngospasm, a sudden tightening of the voice box.14 My rule is never to use peppermint or eucalyptus near the face of a child under 6, and for older children, use smaller amounts in a carrier such as a little coconut oil.133

Pregnancy and nursing. Eucalyptus tea and oil haven't been studied for safety in pregnancy or while nursing, so skip the tea and tincture during those times.

Asthma and seizures. With asthma, start with a short, gentle steam and stop if your chest tightens or you wheeze. Seizures have followed eucalyptus oil steam: in a series of 10 people with seizures after eucalyptus oil exposure, 8 had breathed steam from water mixed with the oil, and all recovered.36 Nine of the 10 had never had a seizure before, and one had used just 3 drops in a bowl of water, so stop any eucalyptus steam if you feel dizzy or sick, and with a seizure history, skip eucalyptus steam and oil altogether.36

Pets and skin. Eucalyptus is toxic to dogs, cats and horses and can cause drooling, vomiting, diarrhea and weakness, so keep leaves, bundles and diffusers away from your animals, and never put essential oils on a pet without a vet's advice.91 Patch-test a balm or infused oil on a small spot of skin first,1 and keep it off broken skin.

The bottom line

Eucalyptus leaves: frequently asked questions

References

1. Axe J. Top 50 Healing Herbs & Essential Oils. DrAxe.com protocol; 2026 (Eucalyptus, Oil 04, p. 41: best for congestion, cough, sinus pressure and stuffy airways; top uses ranked sinus congestion, cough and bronchitis, airway inflammation, muscle aches, airborne germs; steam 2-3 drops in hot water, diffuse 3-5 drops, chest rub 2-3% in carrier, shower 3 drops on the floor; "1,8-cineole thins mucus and calms airway inflammation"; Chinese medicine profile cooling, pungent, lungs, best for thick congestion, cough and stuffy sinuses; "Read This First: Essential oil safety & dilution," p. 39: essential oils 50 to 100 times more concentrated than the herb itself, carrier oils (jojoba, fractionated coconut, sweet almond, olive), dilution table, patch test, babies and kids, pets, diffusing 3-5 drops per 100 mL for 30-60 minutes with breaks; "Your Natural Medicine Cabinet": cold and flu kit with eucalyptus oil for steam).
2. Kehrl W, Sonnemann U, Dethlefsen U. Therapy for acute nonpurulent rhinosinusitis with cineole: results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Laryngoscope. 2004;114(4):738-42. doi:10.1097/00005537-200404000-00027
3. Fischer J, Dethlefsen U. Efficacy of cineole in patients suffering from acute bronchitis: a placebo-controlled double-blind trial. Cough. 2013;9(1):25. doi:10.1186/1745-9974-9-25
4. Nagata H, Inagaki Y, Tanaka M, Ojima M, Kataoka K, Kuboniwa M, et al. Effect of eucalyptus extract chewing gum on periodontal health: a double-masked, randomized trial. J Periodontol. 2008;79(8):1378-85. doi:10.1902/jop.2008.070622 (erratum: J Periodontol. 2008;79(10):2010)
5. Tanaka M, Toe M, Nagata H, Ojima M, Kuboniwa M, Shimizu K, et al. Effect of eucalyptus-extract chewing gum on oral malodor: a double-masked, randomized trial. J Periodontol. 2010;81(11):1564-71. doi:10.1902/jop.2010.100249
6. Takagi Y, Ning X, Takahashi A, Ishizaki C, Nishizaka T, Kaizu K, et al. The efficacy of a pseudo-ceramide and eucalyptus extract containing lotion on dry scalp skin. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2018;11:141-148. doi:10.2147/CCID.S158428
7. Axe J. Fall Essential Oils for Colds, Sore Throats and More. Dr. Josh Axe on YouTube. October 18, 2017 (eucalyptus, peppermint and ginger steam under a towel, or a diffuser, at 1:43; eucalyptus "the number one" oil to open airways, with a chest rub and a hot shower, at 8:14).
8. Tibballs J. Clinical effects and management of eucalyptus oil ingestion in infants and young children. Med J Aust. 1995;163(4):177-80. doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.1995.tb124516.x
9. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus species): toxic and non-toxic plants (toxic to dogs, cats and horses; toxic principle eucalyptol; salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, weakness). American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Accessed November 11, 2026.
10. Royal Horticultural Society. How to grow eucalyptus: RHS growing guide (evergreen trees or shrubs, mainly from Australia; like sun and well-drained soil in a sheltered site; dislike frost, shade, waterlogged soil and exposed sites; large containers 60 cm or more; established trees in the ground need little feeding, containers fed monthly in the growing season; can grow 1 m or more a year; coppicing or pollarding keeps them compact). Accessed November 11, 2026.
11. EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP), Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Dusemund B, Durjava M, et al. Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of a tincture derived from the leaves of Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (eucalyptus tincture) for all animal species (FEFANA asbl). EFSA J. 2024;22(5):e8801. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2024.8801
12. Juergens LJ, Worth H, Juergens UR. New Perspectives for Mucolytic, Anti-inflammatory and Adjunctive Therapy with 1,8-Cineole in COPD and Asthma: Review on the New Therapeutic Approach. Adv Ther. 2020;37(5):1737-1753. doi:10.1007/s12325-020-01279-0
13. Akhtar MA, Raju R, Beattie KD, Bodkin F, Münch G. Medicinal Plants of the Australian Aboriginal Dharawal People Exhibiting Anti-Inflammatory Activity. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016;2016:2935403. doi:10.1155/2016/2935403
14. European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products. Eucalypti folium (eucalyptus leaf): herbal medicinal product summary and EU herbal monograph EMA/HMPC/892618/2011 (traditional use for the relief of cough associated with a cold; comminuted leaf for herbal tea, inhalation or oral liquid for adults and children over 12; tincture for adults only; not under 30 months of age because of laryngospasm; no side effects reported when used as described). Monograph published April 19, 2013.
15. EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP), Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Durjava M, Kouba M, et al. Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an essential oil derived from Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (eucalyptus oil) for all animal species (FEFANA asbl). EFSA J. 2023;21(7):e08178. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8178
16. Dhakad AK, Pandey VV, Beg S, Rawat JM, Singh A. Biological, medicinal and toxicological significance of Eucalyptus leaf essential oil: a review. J Sci Food Agric. 2018;98(3):833-848. doi:10.1002/jsfa.8600
17. US Food and Drug Administration. 21 CFR 172.510, Natural flavoring substances and natural substances used in conjunction with flavors ("Eucalyptus globulus leaves, Eucalyptus globulus Labill," listed without a use limitation). Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.
18. Teka A, Maryo M. Ethiopian Medicinal Plants Used for Respiratory Tract Disorders: Ethnomedicinal Review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2023;2023:7612804. doi:10.1155/2023/7612804
19. Lemos ICS, Delmondes GA, Dos Santos ADF, Santos ES, de Oliveira DR, de Figueiredo PRL, et al. Ethnobiological survey of plants and animals used for the treatment of acute respiratory infections in children of a traditional community in the municipality of Barbalha, Ceará, Brazil. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2016;13(4):166-175. doi:10.21010/ajtcam.v13i4.22
20. The Holy Bible, King James Version. Project Gutenberg eBook #10 (Ezekiel 47:12). Verse text quoted from this file.
21. Juergens UR, Dethlefsen U, Steinkamp G, Gillissen A, Repges R, Vetter H. Anti-inflammatory activity of 1.8-cineol (eucalyptol) in bronchial asthma: a double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Respir Med. 2003;97(3):250-6. doi:10.1053/rmed.2003.1432
22. Worth H, Schacher C, Dethlefsen U. Concomitant therapy with Cineole (Eucalyptole) reduces exacerbations in COPD: a placebo-controlled double-blind trial. Respir Res. 2009;10(1):69. doi:10.1186/1465-9921-10-69
23. Jun YS, Kang P, Min SS, Lee JM, Kim HK, Seol GH. Effect of eucalyptus oil inhalation on pain and inflammatory responses after total knee replacement: a randomized clinical trial. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:502727. doi:10.1155/2013/502727 (correction to Table 3 and Figure 2 units: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2026;2026:9765463)
24. Varkaneh ZK, Karampourian A, Oshvandi K, Basiri Z, Mohammadi Y. The effect of eucalyptus inhalation on pain and the quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis. Contemp Clin Trials Commun. 2022;29:100976. doi:10.1016/j.conctc.2022.100976
25. Sadlon AE, Lamson DW. Immune-modifying and antimicrobial effects of Eucalyptus oil and simple inhalation devices. Altern Med Rev. 2010;15(1):33-47.
26. Jäger W, Nasel B, Nasel C, Binder R, Stimpfl T, Vycudilik W, et al. Pharmacokinetic studies of the fragrance compound 1,8-cineol in humans during inhalation. Chem Senses. 1996;21(4):477-80. doi:10.1093/chemse/21.4.477
27. Juergens UR, Engelen T, Racké K, Stöber M, Gillissen A, Vetter H. Inhibitory activity of 1,8-cineol (eucalyptol) on cytokine production in cultured human lymphocytes and monocytes. Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2004;17(5):281-7. doi:10.1016/j.pupt.2004.06.002
28. Sato S, Yoshinuma N, Ito K, Tokumoto T, Takiguchi T, Suzuki Y, et al. The inhibitory effect of funoran and eucalyptus extract-containing chewing gum on plaque formation. J Oral Sci. 1998;40(3):115-7. doi:10.2334/josnusd.40.115
29. Ishikawa J, Shimotoyodome Y, Chen S, Ohkubo K, Takagi Y, Fujimura T, et al. Eucalyptus increases ceramide levels in keratinocytes and improves stratum corneum function. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2012;34(1):17-22. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2494.2011.00675.x
30. Axe J. How to Prevent & Heal Cold & Flu Naturally (Foods, Supplements, & Herbs for Rapid Recovery). The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2024 (heat and cold patterns of cold and flu, at 02:24; phlegm and mucus as dampness at 18:09; a coconut-oil balm with essential oils on the chest, then a hot shower, at 22:14; eucalyptus rubbed on the chest with coconut oil for bronchitis and productive phlegm at 23:00; YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw-cciZ5TTY&t=1380s).
31. Takagi Y. Efficacy of Topical Application of a Skin Moisturizer Containing Pseudo-Ceramide and a Eucalyptus Leaf Extract on Atopic Dermatitis: A Review. J Clin Med. 2024;13(6):1749. doi:10.3390/jcm13061749
32. Swanston-Flatt SK, Day C, Bailey CJ, Flatt PR. Traditional plant treatments for diabetes. Studies in normal and streptozotocin diabetic mice. Diabetologia. 1990;33(8):462-4. doi:10.1007/BF00405106
33. Axe J. Dangers of Essential Oils: Top 10 Essential Oil Mistakes to Avoid | Dr. Josh Axe. The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2017 (oils never to take internally, including eucalyptus, at 2:19; smaller amounts and a carrier oil for children at 7:13).
34. Axe J. Ancient Remedies: Secrets to Healing with Herbs, Essential Oils, CBD, and the Most Powerful Natural Medicine in History. Little, Brown Spark (Hachette Book Group); 2021 (internal use limited to oils from commonly eaten plants, 1 or 2 drops, p. 146; tree oils including eucalyptus "dangerous to ingest," p. 147).
35. Day LM, Ozanne-Smith J, Parsons BJ, Dobbin M, Tibballs J. Eucalyptus oil poisoning among young children: mechanisms of access and the potential for prevention. Aust N Z J Public Health. 1997;21(3):297-302. doi:10.1111/j.1467-842x.1997.tb01703.x
36. Mathew T, Kamath V, Kumar RS, Srinivas M, Hareesh P, Jadav R, et al. Eucalyptus oil inhalation-induced seizure: A novel, underrecognized, preventable cause of acute symptomatic seizure. Epilepsia Open. 2017;2(3):350-354. doi:10.1002/epi4.12065
37. Axe J. Top 5 Essential Oils for Allergies & DIY Vapor Rub. Dr. Josh Axe on YouTube. March 30, 2017 (eucalyptus oil "the king of opening up the respiratory airways," at 4:05).

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS

Doctor of Natural Medicine · Founder, DrAxe.com

Dr. Axe is a certified doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, and multiple New York Times bestselling author. He has spent 20+ years in clinical practice helping people heal at the root cause and founded one of the most-visited natural-health platforms in the world.

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