Constituent · Oxygenated monoterpene
terpinen-4-ol
The main alcohol of tea tree, responsible for much of its studied antimicrobial character and its softer, earthier scent.
Essential oils richest in terpinen-4-ol
Measured relative composition (GC peak-area %) pooled across published GC-MS samples — median, typical range (middle 50%) and the maximum seen.
| Oil | Median | Typical range | Max | Samples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tea tree | 25.99% | 11.15%–37.4% | 44.84% | 8 |
| Marjoram | 14.35% | 5.78%–15.58% | 36.8% | 36 |
| Nutmeg | 5.41% | 4.05%–7.76% | 13.57% | 32 |
| Grapefruit | 4.39% | 0.26%–7.5% | 11.13% | 14 |
| Lavender | 4.26% | 1.53%–7.29% | 54.67% | 119 |
| Mountain savory | 3.76% | 1.02%–5.9% | 8.41% | 42 |
| Lavandin | 3.63% | 1.54%–4.8% | 8.81% | 25 |
| Blue tansy | 2.46% | 2.24%–2.67% | 2.89% | 2 |
| Yarrow | 2.2% | 1.87%–3.15% | 4.18% | 21 |
| Cypress | 1.96% | 1.75%–2.16% | 2.36% | 2 |
| German chamomile | 1.85% | 1.8%–1.91% | 2.1% | 6 |
| Ravintsara | 1.83% | 0.26%–2.92% | 4.49% | 6 |
| Cardamom | 1.7% | 1.05%–2.46% | 10.4% | 15 |
| Peppermint | 1.55% | 0.74%–2.72% | 17.44% | 10 |
| Rosemary | 1.53% | 0.95%–2.11% | 15.91% | 46 |
| Petitgrain | 1.52% | 0.82%–1.8% | 2.07% | 3 |
| Laurel | 1.49% | 1.25%–2.33% | 6.92% | 25 |
| Wormwood | 1.37% | 0.88%–4.17% | 6.2% | 18 |
| Oregano | 1.28% | 0.7%–3.97% | 9.7% | 20 |
| Basil | 1.25% | 0.61%–2.5% | 5.75% | 39 |
Oils in our library are linked above — open any profile for its full composition, safety panel and the research behind it.
Related constituents
Other oxygenated monoterpene compounds across the oils.
Figures are GC peak-area percentages pooled across published GC-MS samples, not concentrations, and describe chemistry — not health effects. How this is built →