ESSENTIAL OILS

Design and InstallationGarden Caregarden TriviaPlant Health CareUncategorized
Written By Peter Morris

Use in Aromatherapy

 Essential oils are often used in massaging and aromatherapy.  This is a form of alternative medicine that employs plant extracts to support health and well-being. They are not meant to be eaten or swallowed. 

Essential oils

 These oils are compounds extracted from plants. The oils capture the plant’s scent and flavor, or “essence.”  the aromatic compounds of each species give each extraction oil its characteristic essence. 

Most common essential oils

 

Extraction

 Oils are obtained through distillation (steam) or mechanical methods, such as cold pressing. Once the aromatic chemicals have been extracted, they are combined with a carrier oil (usually sweet almond oil) to create a product that’s ready for use.

Diagram of a basic steam distillation

 The way the oils are made is important, as essential oils obtained through chemical processes are not considered true essential oils. 

Antique copper distillers for making essential oils

  

Application

 The chemicals in essential oils can interact with your body in several ways. When applied to the skin, some will be directly absorbed – with very specific responses.  Think mint, wintergreen, menthol, or camphor.Inhaling the aromas will also stimulate your limbic system.  This the part of your brain that plays a role in emotions, behaviors, sense of smell, and long-term memory. It also controls several physiological functions, such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.  Some people claim that essential oils can exert a beneficial physical effect on your body. 

Primary Essential oils found in plant cells

 Agar oil or oodh,  made from (Aquilaria malaccensis). Highly prized for its fragrance.Ajwain oil, distilled from the leaves of (Carum copticum). Oil contains 35-65% thymol.Angelica root oil, distilled from the Angelica archangelica.Anise oil, from the Pimpinella anisum, rich odor of licorice, used medicinally.Asafoetida, used medicinally and to flavor food.Balsam of Peru, used in food, drink for flavoring, in perfumes and toiletries for fragrance.Basil oil is used in making perfumes, as well as in aromatherapyBay oil is used in perfumery; also for sprains, colds, flu, insomnia, rheumatism.Bergamot oil, used in aromatherapy and in perfumes.Black Pepper essential oil is distilled from the berries of Piper nigrum.Buchu oil, made from the buchu shrub. Considered toxic and no longer widely used.Birch is aromatheapeutic for gout, Rheumatism, Eczema, Ulcers.Camphor is used for cold, cough, fever, rheumatism, and arthritisCannabis flower, used as a flavoring in foods, candy and beverages. Also used as a scent.Caraway oil, used as a flavoring in foods, in mouthwashes, and toothpastes.Cardamom seed oil, used in aromatherapy and other medicinal applications.Carrot seed oil (essential oil), used in aromatherapy.Cedarwood oil, primarily used in perfumes and fragrances.Chamomile oil, only two are used in aromatherapy- Roman and German.Calamus Root, used medicinallyCinnamon oil, used for flavoring and medicinally.CistusCitronella oil, used as an insect repellent, as well as medicinally.Clary SageClove leaf oil, used as a topical anesthetic to relieve dental pain.Coffee, used to flavor food.CorianderCostmary oil (bible leaf oil), from the Tanacetum balsamita.Costus Root, used medicinallyCranberry seed oil, high in omega-3 omega-6 fatty acids, used in the cosmetic industry.Cubeb, used medicinally and to flavor foods.Cumin oil/Black seed oil, used as a flavor, particularly in meat products.CypressCypriolCurry leaf, used medicinally and to flavor food.Davana oil, from the Artemisia pallens, used as a perfume ingredient and as a germicide.Dill oil, chemically almost identical to caraway seed oil. High carvone content.Elecampane, used medicinally.Eucalyptus oil, historically used as a germicide. Commonly used in cough medicine.Fennel seed oil, used medicinally, particularly for treating colic in infants.Fenugreek oil, used medicinally and for cosmetics from ancient times.FirFrankincense oil, used for aromatherapy and in perfumes.Galangal, used medicinally and to flavor food.GalbanumGardeniaGeranium oil, used medicinally, in aromatherapy, used for hormonal imbalance.Ginger oil, used medicinally in many cultures.GoldenrodGrapefruit oil, from the peel of the fruit. Used in aromatherapy. Contains 90% limonene.Henna oil, used medicinally.HelichrysumHickory nut oilHorseradish oilHyssopIdaho TansyJasmine oil, used for its flowery fragrance.Juniper berry oil, used as a flavor. Also used medicinally, including traditional medicine.Laurus nobilisLavender oil, used primarily as a fragrance. Also used medicinally.LedumLemon oil, similar in fragrance to the fruit, usually cold pressed.Lemongrass. A highly fragrant grass from India used to help treat fevers and infections.Lime, anti septic, anti viral, astringent, aperitif, bactericidal, disinfectant, febrifuge.Litsea cubeba oil, lemon-like scent, often used in perfumes and aromatherapy.LinaloeMandarinMarjoramMelaleuca See Tea tree oilMelissa oil (Lemon balm), sweet smelling oil used particularly in aromatherapy.Mentha arvensis oil, Mint, used in flavoring, mouthwashes and pharmaceutical.Mountain SavoryMugwort oil, used in ancient times for medicinal purposes. Now considered a neurotoxin.Mustard oil (essential oil)Myrrh oil, warm, slightly musty smell. Used medicinally.MyrtleNeem oil or Neem Tree OilNeroli is produced from the blossom of the bitter orange tree.NutmegOrange oil, like lemon oil, cold pressed rather than distilled. Consists of 90% d-Limonene.Oregano oil, contains thymol and carvacrol, making it a useful fungicide.Orris oil is extracted from the roots of the Florentine iris and used as a flavoring agent.Palo SantoParsley oil, used in soaps, detergents, colognes, cosmetics and especially men's fragrances.Patchouli oil, very common ingredient in perfumes.Perilla essential oil, extracted from the leaves of the perilla plant.Peppermint oil, used in a wide variety of medicinal applications.PetitgrainPine oil, used as a disinfectant, and in aromatherapy.RavensaraRed CedarRoman ChamomileRose oil, distilled from rose petals, Used primarily as a fragrance.Rosehip oil, distilled from the seeds of the Rosa rubiginosa. Used medicinally.Rosemary oil, from the flowers of Rosmarinus officinalis. Used topically to sooth muscles.Rosewood oil, used primarily for skin care applications. Also used medicinally.Sage oil, used medicinally.Sandalwood oil, used primarily as a fragrance, for its pleasant, woody fragrance.Sassafras oil, from sassafras root bark. Used in soap-making, perfumes, and Root beer.Savory oil, from Satureja. Used in aromatherapy, cosmetic and soap-making applications.Schisandra oil, from Schisandra chinensis, used medicinally.Spearmint oil, often used in flavoring mouthwash and chewing gum.Spikenard, used medicinally.Spruce has calming properties. Used as a topical application for muscular aches and pains.Star anise oil, highly fragrant oil using in cooking, perfumery, soaps, and toothpaste.TangerineTarragon oil, distilled from Artemisia dracunculus, used medicinally.Tea tree oil, from Melaleuca; used medicinally, with limited show of effectiveness.Thyme oil, used medicinally.Tsuga, It is used as analgesic, antirheumatic, blood cleanser, and stimulant.Turmeric, used medicinally and to flavor foodValerian is used for insomnia, migraines, nervous dyspepsia, and dandruff.Vetiver oil a thick, amber oil, from India. Used as a fixative in perfumery.Western red cedarWintergreen, used as an analgesic, anodyne, anti rheumatic & anti arthritic.Yarrow oil is used medicinally, to relieve joint painYlang-ylang is used for calming, antiseptic, and aphrodisiac purposes.Zedoary, used medicinally and to flavor food 

My favorites

 

Growing up in the tropics – this was my all time favorite – Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata)

I never made any essential oil from it – but I did enjoyed the fragrance !

 

oh ! This one too !

 

Night blooming jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum)

Intoxicating is an understatement

 

If you want some of these plants in your garden

Call Plant Specialists TODAY !

We have experts that know which will grow in your garden

– and we can care for them as well !

Don't delay – the sooner the better !

 

GREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 51 YEARS !

  Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBAAll photographs used with permission @SHUTTERSTOCK  

Peter Morris

Peter was born and raised on a beautiful green island in the midst of a tropical rainforest. He was introduced into the world of plants at the age of six when his grandmother, an avid Spanish gardener herself, asked him to help her grow seeds for her pepper garden. He was hooked! By the time he was a teen, he had his own rose and orchid collection numbering in the hundreds. Botany was in his blood, and that is what he set out to study.

His passion brought him to NY in the late seventies to further his education. His tenacity allowed him to work full time at Plant Specialists while he completed a MS in Plant Biology. As a manager at the time he felt unsatisfied with his knowledge of business and business processes. Peter felt compelled to learn, so he then pursued and completed an MBA in Quality Management within a few short years.

Peter’s other passion is teaching. His natural ability is quickly consumed by our staff in all subjects in Botany, Horticulture, and Landscaping. He created an immense reference library of more than 3,500 plants providing an invaluable resource for our staff.

Peter’s breadth of knowledge and wisdom allows him to effectively diagnose the needs of plants. Sometimes just by walking into a garden he can create a prescription that fixes even the hardest issue. He is our Staff Botanist, Diagnostician, and all around Mentor. Recently, he has put his immense knowledge and skills into developing a new department that focuses on Plant Healthcare. As he puts it, “Magic through Science”. The PHC staff that surround him have avidly consumed his teachings. Substantially developing their own plant wisdom, many have taken on difficult plant health issues with spectacular results.

Plant Healthcare has been an instant success with customers! The proper treatment of insects and diseases including Organic methods has made pest control a necessity for every plant. Correcting hormonal imbalances caused by planting in containers or refurbishing soils leached of nutrients by irrigation systems are big challenges PHC has become quite comfortable addressing. The scientific approach to the complex demands of keeping plants healthy in our harsh city environment has made many a customer say WOW!

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