Mānuka honey (Māori pronunciation: [ˈmaːnʉka]) is a monofloral honey produced from the nectar of the mānuka tree, Leptospermum scoparium.

The mānuka tree is indigenous to New Zealand and parts of coastal Australia. The word mānuka is the Māori name of the tree; however, as with many Māori words, the older spelling manuka (without a macron) remains relatively common in English.^{[citation needed]}

The mānuka tree (Leptospermum scoparium), from which mānuka honey is derived, has long been regarded as a taonga (treasure) in Māori tradition. The plant was used in rongoā (traditional medicine), with infusions of the leaves taken for colds and fevers, and oils or poultices from the bark applied to wounds and skin conditions. In Māori cosmology, mānuka is associated with Tāne, the atua (god) of forests, reinforcing its status as a plant of mana (prestige) and spiritual significance.

In contemporary New Zealand, mānuka honey has become both a cultural emblem and a commercial product. It is frequently described as “liquid gold” in media and marketing, symbolising natural heritage and national identity. The honey is often presented as a premium gift in ceremonial contexts and is used to promote New Zealand’s image abroad. For Māori enterprises, mānuka honey production is also linked to cultural revitalisation and economic development, connecting indigenous stewardship of land with participation in global trade.

Mānuka honey is produced by European honey bees (Apis mellifera) foraging on the mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium), which evidence suggests originated in Australia before the onset of the Miocene aridity. It grows uncultivated throughout both southeastern Australia and New Zealand.

The mānuka tree flowers at the same time as Kunzea ericoides, another Myrtaceae species also called kānuka, which often shares the same growing areas. Some apiarists cannot readily differentiate these species, as both flowers have similar morphology and pollen differentiation between the two species is difficult.^{[citation needed]}

There have been increasing turf disputes between producers operating close to large mānuka tree clumps. Cases have been reported of many hives being variously sabotaged, poisoned, or stolen.

Mānuka honey is composed primarily of fructose and glucose, with smaller amounts of sucrose and maltose, having a relatively higher total sugar content compared to Malaysian honeys. It is markedly viscous, has a dark cream to dark brown colour, and a strong flavour, characterised as "earthy, oily, herbaceous", and "florid, rich and complex". It is described by the New Zealand honey industry as having a "damp earth, heather, aromatic" aroma, and a "mineral, slightly bitter" flavour.