Along with the kookaburra, the koala and the kangaroo, the eucalyptus or the gum tree is a big part of the Australian imagination, and there’s good reason for that. Right from the time the first European settlers arrived in Australia, they have been in the thrall of the eucalyptus plant and its varied uses. Besides being the primary food source of the koala, the sap was used as a sweet food source, the bark was used to fashion dishes, water bowls, and canoes, and the leaves of the eucalyptus were used for medicinal purposes – it was found to relieve gastrointestinal, respiratory and inflammatory issues. Today, its popularity has grown beyond the land of Oz to make it the world’s favourite relief for a sniffle.