Essential Oil Profile: Neroli

by Amelia E. Stone, RN

 

Common Name: Neroli

Latin Binomial: Citrus aurantium var. amara

Family: Rutaceae

Other Common Names: Orange blossom

Production Method: Steam Distilled

Countries of Origin: Tunisia

Typical Constituents: α-Pinene (4.26%), Camphene (5.5%), Sabinene (2.55%), b-pinene (8.67%), mycrene (2.15%), δ-3-Carene (2.46%), limonene (22.43%), terpinene (4.14%), α-terpineol (1.87%), linalool (2.52%), linalyl acetate (0.87%), geraniol (1.02%), nerol (6.97%), citronellol (1.87%), citral (2.41%), b- citral (1.87%), methyl anthranilate (1.89%)

Description of Oil: pale yellow, tends to become darker and more viscous with age, a light, refreshing floral, sweet and haunting

Description of Plant: An evergreen tree with long but not very sharp spines and very fragrant flowers.

History, Folklore and Myth: The name is said to originate from an Italian princess, Countess of Neroli, who used the oil as a perfume and to scent her gloves and bathwater.  A very expensive oil – it takes a great mass of flowers to make a thimbleful of oil.

Properties and Uses: antidepressant, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, nervine, vulnerary

Precautions and Contraindications: none known

Other Interesting Information: One ton of flowers will yield approximately 1 kg of essential oil.

 

References: : Battaglia, Salvatore. The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy. Virginia, Queensland, Australia: The Perfect Potion. 1995.

Tisserand, Robert, and Tony Balacs. Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. 1995.

Sellar, Wanda. The Directory of Essential Oils. London: Random House. 2005

Shutes, Jade. Advanced Aromatherapy Certification Program. East-West School for Herbal and Aromatic Studies. 2014

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