Aroma Basics

Fennel’s sweet dried-grass aroma earned it the Russian name ‘foeniculum’, deriving from the Latin foenum, meaning ‘hay-like’. Native to the shores of the Mediterranean, fennel is a biennial or short-lived perennial herb growing up to 2m, with blue-green feathery leaves and umbels of golden-yellow flowers. All parts of the plant are aromatic, although the highly prized … Read moreAromatherapy: The Magic of Fennel Oil

The illustrious frankincense, or olibanum as it is also known, is obtained from an unspectacular scrubby tree of the genus Boswellia, native to the arid regions of Arabia and East Africa. Of the 25 species of tree producing frankincense gum resin, the most common are Boswellia carteri, found main in Somalia, Oman an Ethiopia, and Boswellia thurifera, Saudi frankincense. … Read moreAromatherapy: The Magic of Frankincense Oil

Since it is included in so many medicinal preparations, the aroma of eucalyptus is recognised by almost everyone. Native to Australia, there are over 600 species of eucalyptus which are now cultivated throughout the world. While some species are shrubs, others are trees of immense size and beauty. In their country of origin, they often … Read moreAromatherapy: The Magic of Eucalyptus Oil

Melissa (Melissa officinalis), or lemon balm as it is commonly known, has been a favourite plant with healers since the days of the ancient Greeks. It is a member of the Labiateae family, a botanical group which contains hundreds of plants, used by herbal practitioners and aromatherapists for their therapeutic properties. Loved by bees, the … Read moreAromatherapy: The Magic of Melissa Oil

As its essential oil is non-toxic and non-irritant, clary sage (Salvia sclarea) is the sage variety most used in aromatherapy. The clary sage plant is quite different in appearance to common sage; it is a biennial herb growing up to 1m with large, rather coarse, hairy leaves at the base of the plant. Its small … Read moreAromatherapy: The Magic of Clary Sage

Tea tree oil is a remarkable healing agent, and one of the most thoroughly researched of all the essential oils. Tea trees belong to the genus Melaleuca, and the trees in this genus are commonly known as paperbarks or honey myrtles. There are many species including M. leucadendron, the weeping tea tree from which cajuput essential oil … Read moreAromatherapy: The Magic of Tea Tree

There are about 20 species of cypress, though the variety commonly used for extracting the essential oil is Italian cypress (cypresses sempervirens), native to the Mediterranean basin. The cypress is a tree of great beauty, etching its tapering silhouette against the sky, sometimes reaching as high as 45m. Indeed, the branches of this tall, evergreen … Read moreAromatherapy: The Magic of Cypress

The pine family consists of more than 100 species, though the scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) is the most widespread variety, and the safest to use therapeutically. This tall, evergreen conifer rises over 35 metres, the crown at first conical, later becoming distinctly flattened. It has deeply fissured, reddish-brown bark, pairs of bluish-green needles and pointed … Read moreAromatherapy: The Magic of Scots Pine

Jasmine is a semi-evergreen shrub, which can grow up to 10 metres in height. In a cool climate it will shed its leaves once a year. It produces abundant clusters of white, star-shaped flowers whose fragrance intensifies at dusk. The plant is native to China, India and Persia where hundreds of varieties are known. The … Read moreAromatherapy: The Magic of Jasmine

Petitgrain essential oil is captured by steam distillation of the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange tree (Citrus aurantium var. amara or C. bigaradia), also known as the Seville orange. The blossom of the same tree yields the precious essential oil of neroli, with orange flower water being produced as a by-product of the distillation process. … Read moreAromatherapy: The Magic of Petitgrain