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Description: Petitgrain is produced from the evergreen, shiny leaves and small wiry, greenish branchlets of the Bitter Orange tree after harvesting the tree's fruit (the rind from which comes Bitter Orange oil) and flowers (from which Neroli oil is distilled). Leaves and stalks are freshly picked in July-October and immediately distilled for the best product. The oil is produced in Paraguay and, to a smaller extent, in Haiti. However, only in Paraguay is the oil distilled exclusively from the bitter sour variety of Citrus Aurantium, subspecies amara, the bitter orange tree. This tree grows wild and semi-wild and is cultivated on a large scale in the interior of Paraguay.
Color & Consistency: Yellow to brownish-yellow, thin liquid.
Strength of Aroma: Medium.
Common Uses: as an anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, cicatrizant, antiseptic, deodorant, digestive stimulant, sedative tonic, and nervine. Assists stretch marks and scarring. Also helpful with depression, anxiety and soothes tension and rigidity.
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Blends with: mandarin, geranium, neroli and rose.
Note: Top.
Aromatic Scent: Fresh, floral, herbaceous citrus, complex; lighter in fragrance than neroli and slightly woody.
History: Historically, Petitgrain (from the French meaning “small seed”) was actually distilled from the immature and small, round green fruits of the Bitter Orange trees. This soon proved to be uneconomical as the production of this oil diminished the yield of highly-valued neroli oil from the mature fruit later in the season. Gradually the oil from the leaves and twigs became known as petitgrain.
Cautions: No known toxicity. |
