- [Narrator] Little trees.

They're a rear view mirror staple,

protecting noses from offensive odors

all over the world.

But where do they come from?

Over 60 years ago, a scientist

by the name of Julius Samann

had a chance encounter with a milkman

that changed the course of the air freshener game forever.

It was in Watertown, New York.

A milkman was making the rounds

when he stopped to speak to Julius,

a German Jewish chemist who fled the Nazis

and studied alpine tree aromas in the forest of Canada.

Said milkman, began venting to Julius

about the stench that spoiled milk left in his car

and thus the quest began to destroy bad car odors.

Julius drew inspiration from the tree aromas he studied

by infusing their oils onto paper.

In 1954, he filed a patent for tree-shaped paper

infused with odor destroying air perfume.

Julius then started producing the air freshers

out of an empty auto shop

and sending samples to local gas stations.

The little trees were a big hit,

and Julius successfully created the first

automotive air freshener.

Though the look remains the same,

the scents are forever changing.

Now the little tree company has over 60 scents

and has sold over a billion little trees worldwide.

(upbeat music)