Bergamot Essential Oil
The bergamot orange is a small and roughly pear-shaped citrus fruit. The fruit, produced in Italy, is a cross between the pear lemon and the Seville orange or grapefruit. Bergamot oranges grow on small trees known as bergamots. Probably native to Asia, naturalized in Italy, and now grown commercially in several countries. The most delicate of the citrus trees, demanding special climate and soil.
Production mostly is limited to the Ionian coastal region of the province of Reggio Calabria to such an extent becoming a symbol of the entire region and the city. In no other part of the world does it fructify with the same yield and quality of essence; it is cultivated in Ivory Coast, Argentina and Brazil but the quality of the obtained essence is not comparable with the essence produced from the bergamots of Reggio Calabria due to the argillaceous, limestone and alluvial deposits there.
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| Botanical Name: | Citrus aurantium L. subsp. bergamia (Risso & Poit.) Wight & Arn. ex Engl. |
| Family: | Rutaceae |
| Synonyms: | Citrus bergamia, bergamont, oleum bergamotte, bergamot orange, |
| See Also: | Bergamot FCF Petitgrain bergamot |
| Parts Used: | Rind of the unripe fruit. |
| Extraction Method: | Cold pressed or vacuum distillation |
| Appearance: | Light greenish yellow liquid |
| Aroma Description: | Fresh, clean, citrus |
| Perfume note: | Top to Middle |
| Consistancy: | Thin |
| Strength of Initial Aroma: | |
| Blends well with: | Frankincense, geranium, mandarin, melissa, myrtle, neroli, palmarosa, sandalwood, vetiver, ylang, ylang. |
| Historical Uses: | Historically, physicians in Italy used leaf tea to expel worms and gas. Traditionally used as a mood lifter and as an antiseptic. |
| Modern Uses: | Extensively used as a fragrance in cosmetics, toiletries suntan lotions and perfumes. A classic ingredient in eau-de-colognes. Used in most major food groups and drinks, famously used in Earl Grey Tea. |
| Cautions: | Contains Bergapten, which is photo toxic, Do not use on the skin before exposure to sunlight. |
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