It comes from the nectar of the flower of Leptospermum scoparium — also known as Manuka, which is only native to New Zealand. Mānuka, in fact, is a Maori word. "The plant itself is very rare.

New Zealand has a lot of old, dense native bush, and its ferns, vines, palms, fungi, berries, fruit, and seeds became important foods. Much of the forest has been around for hundreds of years ...