The allspice tree is one of those finicky members of the plant family that only grows in certain areas of the world. Jamaica is well known for allspice tree growth, but some South American countries have also been successful in growing and harvesting allspice berries. Different types of allspice berry oil are made using not only the berries, but the stems and leaves as well. When allspice berries are steam distilled, very light and very heavy chemicals emerge. Those chemicals are combined to produce allspice berry oil. Leaves and stems are also used to produce allspice oil, but the berry [...]
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Some experts say that the bergamot tree is native to Southeast Asia and it was introduced to Europe years later, but others say its ancestral home was Greece. Regardless of its origin, the strange cross between a lime and orange tree (although some say orange and grapefruit tree) has made the Calabria region of Italy famous. The Greeks say the name comes from a Turkish work that means “the lord’s pear,” but the Italians say the name comes from the town where the bergamot was first sold, which is Bergamo in Lombardy, Italy. Bergamot oil got its reputation from the [...]
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Man’s connection with nature is well documented through the centuries. Plants and trees have played a vital role in human mental and physical wellness, and they continue to present new avenues for general well being and emotional stability. Angelica oil has been used for over five hundred years to cure a variety of physical issues, especially when flatulence and stomach issue create discomfort. The angelica plant is native to countries in colder climates like Russia, Lithuania, and Norway. Even the inhabitants of Iceland have had a close relationship with the angelica plant through the years. In Lapland the plant was [...]
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The aborigines of Australia were the first humans to discover the healing qualities of the eucalyptus tree, but the Koala, Australia’s lovable herbivorous marsupial, was actually the first mammal to discover the amazing leaves of the eucalyptus. A Koala spends at least three of its five active hours eating the leaves of several varieties of eucalyptus leaves because they are low in protein, and high in phenolic compounds, which are powerful antioxidants… plus they’re rich in terpene compounds, which are the primary constituents in the essential oil of the eucalyptus tree. The aborigines undoubtedly noticed the affect of eucalyptus on [...]
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Distillers derive ravensara oil from an evergreen laurel species that has limited cultivation in several regions around the world. The major essential oil properties include being antiseptic, antibacterial and antiviral. Not surprisingly, the use of ravensara oil for cold sores, shingles, and herpes-related outbreaks is very useful for self treatment by those in search of alternatives to prescriptions or over-the-counter medicines that might have unpleasant scents and side effects. Herpes is known as a viral infection for which there is said to be no actual cure. Skin lesions provide a visible reminder of the ailment, and for some they occur [...]
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Basil oil and basil leaves share a rich history with modern man. Indigenous societies were the first humans to discover the amazing properties of basil and the oil derived from the plant. It has been cultivated around the world for thousands of years. During the early years it was also used to treat headaches as well as to enhance the sex drive. Pliny, the Roman author and naturalist, claimed it was an aphrodisiac, and the Greek physician Dioscorides prescribed it for headaches, but his contemporaries used it as horse feed during breeding season. In modern aromatherapy, basil oil is used [...]
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