Eucalyptus Oil

Botanical Name: Eucalyptus globulus

Method of Farming: Conventional

Country of Origin: Spain

Extraction: Steam distillation of the fresh or partially dried leaves and mature branches.

Characteristics: Colorless to pale yellow with a strong, fresh, camphorous odor and woody undertone.

Oil properties: Eucalyptus has a clear, sharp, fresh and very distinctive smell. It is pale yellow in color and watery in viscosity.

Origin of eucalyptus oil: The Australian Blue-gum can sometimes reaches a height of 100 meters (300 feet), making it one of the highest trees in the world. There are over 500 species of Eucalyptus trees and they have blue-green long, narrow, tough leaves, creamy white flowers and smooth pale bark.

The 'eu' and 'kalypto' means 'well' and 'covered' in Greek, referring to the cup-like membrane that covers the flower bud and is thrown off as the flower expands. The Australian Aborigines calls the Eucalyptus 'kino'. One of their uses for it was to cover serious wounds with the leaves.

Eucalyptus was introduced to Europe in 1788, and the first oil exported to England was called 'Sydney peppermint'. It was extracted from Eucalyptus peperita which is a more industrial type of oil.

The Eucalyptus uses a lot of water while growing, thus it drains land where usually malaria was found, making it a healthier climate for living.

Extraction: Eucalyptus oil is extracted from the fresh or partially dried leaves and young twigs.
Chemical composition: The main chemical components of Eucalyptus are: Camphene, Citronellal, Fenchene, Phellandrene and Cineole.

Precautions: Eucalyptus oil should be used with care and people with high blood pressure and epilepsy should avoid it. Excessive use of the oil may cause headaches.