Cade Essential Oil
Cade, commonly known as Prickly Juniper, Cade Juniper, or Prickly Cedar, is a species of juniper, very variable in shape, forming a spreading shrub 2-3 m tall to a small erect tree 10-15 m tall. It is distributed across the Mediterranean region from Morocco and Portugal, north to southern France, east to westernmost Iran, and south to Israel, growing on a variety of rocky sites from sea level up to 1600 m altitude.
Prickly Juniper has needle-like leaves in whorls of three; the leaves are green, 5-20 mm long and 1-2 mm broad, with a double white stomatal band (split by a green midrib) on the inner surface. It is usually dioecious, with separate male and female plants. The seed cones are berry-like, green ripening in 18 months to orange-red with a variable pink waxy coating; they are spherical, 7-12 mm diameter, and have three or six fused scales in 1-2 whorls, three of the scales with a single seed. The seeds are dispersed when birds eat the cones, digesting the fleshy scales and passing the hard seeds in their droppings. The male cones are yellow, 2-3 mm long, and fall soon after shedding their pollen in February-March.
The essential oil is obtained by destructive distillation from the branches and heartwood. Native to southern France; now common throughout Europe and North Africa. It is now produced mainly in Spain and in the former Yugoslavia. An essential oil by steam distillation is also available.
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| Botanical Name: | Juniperus oxycedrus L. |
| Family: | Cupressaceae |
| Synonyms: | Juniper tar, prickly cedar, medlar tree, prickly juniper. |
| See Also: | |
| Parts Used: | Branches and heartwood (chips and shavings) |
| Extraction Method: | Destructive distillation, (empyreumatic distillation). |
| Appearance: | Orange brown viscous liquid |
| Aroma Description: | Smoky, woody, leathery |
| Perfume note: | |
| Consistancy: | Thick |
| Strength of Initial Aroma: | |
| Blends well with: | |
| Historical Uses: | Used in Europe for treatment of eczema, parasites, hair loss and other cutaneous diseases. |
| Modern Uses: | Aromatherapy use for cuts, dermatitis, eczema, spots. Used in commercial skin dermatological preparations. Some use in soap and cosmetics as a fragrance. |
| Cautions: | Non toxic, non irritant, possible skin sensitizer, use in moderation.. |
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