Palmarosa EO
Natural
Floral > Rosy > Geranium > Green
Crédits photo: ScenTree SAS
Latin name :
Cymbopogon martini
Botanical profile :
Palmarosa, or fragrant rush, is a plant of the Poaceae family, like lemongrass EO, and of the genus Cymbopogon.
Geographic origin :
Originally from Indonesia and India, Palmarosa is now produced in India, Java Island (Indonesia), Brazil and Central America
Chemotypes :
There are many plants of the genus Cymbopogon used in perfumery.
The mota and martini varieties of palmarosa, which are used in perfumery. The sofia variety of palmarosa is less used.
Cymbopogon khasianus, also called palmarosa, contains 75% geraniol in its essential oil.
Cymbopogon citratus, or lemongrass, grown in India in particular, has a more citral smell.
Cymbopogon flexosus, or Malabar grass, grown in India, also contains a lot of Citral.
Cymbopogon pendulus, contains Citral.
Cymbopogon caesius with aldehyde perrilic.
There are many other citronella of various origins: Ceylon (nardus), Java (winterianus), West Africa and South (giganteus) ...
The mota and martini varieties of palmarosa, which are used in perfumery. The sofia variety of palmarosa is less used.
Cymbopogon khasianus, also called palmarosa, contains 75% geraniol in its essential oil.
Cymbopogon citratus, or lemongrass, grown in India in particular, has a more citral smell.
Cymbopogon flexosus, or Malabar grass, grown in India, also contains a lot of Citral.
Cymbopogon pendulus, contains Citral.
Cymbopogon caesius with aldehyde perrilic.
There are many other citronella of various origins: Ceylon (nardus), Java (winterianus), West Africa and South (giganteus) ...
Extraction process :
Palmarosa is an herb with long flat leaves that can reach up to three meters high and contains the essential oil of the plant. The propagation of a crop is made by a regular sowing of the seeds. The cultivation of the plant must be done on a very well drained soil.
The harvest begins just after flowering, after a few months of cultivation. Native tribes take care of the harvest from March to November. After the harvest, the leaves are dried in the sun for a week to improve the extraction yield: drying them allows to concentrate the volatile molecules, without degrading or modifying the smell of the plant. The extraction is done by steam distillation, under high pressure of water and the essential oil is collected by decantation, in the receptacle at the outlet of the refrigerant.
The yield of the extraction of the plant varies between 0.5 and 1.2%.
The essential oil of palmarosa is often used for the extraction of natural geraniol.
The harvest begins just after flowering, after a few months of cultivation. Native tribes take care of the harvest from March to November. After the harvest, the leaves are dried in the sun for a week to improve the extraction yield: drying them allows to concentrate the volatile molecules, without degrading or modifying the smell of the plant. The extraction is done by steam distillation, under high pressure of water and the essential oil is collected by decantation, in the receptacle at the outlet of the refrigerant.
The yield of the extraction of the plant varies between 0.5 and 1.2%.
The essential oil of palmarosa is often used for the extraction of natural geraniol.
Major Components :
Geraniol (70-80%)
Geranyl Acetate (5-20%)
Geranyl Formate (5-15%)
Linalool (2-4%)
Nerol (≈1%)
Geranyl Acetate (5-20%)
Geranyl Formate (5-15%)
Linalool (2-4%)
Nerol (≈1%)
- Uses in perfumery :
- It is an economical alternative to rose and Geranium EO.
- Other comments :
- India is the largest palmarosa farmer, particularly in the southern Himalayan regions and at the Afghan border.
Palmarosa essential oil is widely used for the purpose of extracting natural Geraniol. Its level of Geraniol depends on the quality of the phosphate removal of the Geranyl Phosphate present in the plant and the rate of conversion of Geraniol to Geranyl Acetate and Geranial during the processes that take place.
Besides its citral and green smell, the palmarosa gets its name from its particular pinkish smell. - Volatility :
- Heart
- Appearance :
- Colorless liquid
- Stability :
- The terpenes identified in this raw material can polymerize when they are oxidized
The esters identified in this raw material can form their corresponding acid in stability tests - Price Range :
- €€
- Aromatherapy :
Informations provided below are taken from reference works in aromatherapy. They are given for information purposes only and can not constitute medical information, nor engage the responsibility of ScenTree.
Palmarosa is known for its antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and cardiotonic properties. It is indicated in case of bronchitis, to relieve pain during childbirth, enteritis (inflammation of the small intestine) and viremia (replication of a virus).
Crédits photo: ScenTree SAS
- EINECS number :
- 283-461-2
- FEMA number :
- Data not available.
- Allergens :
- Geraniol - Linalool - Citral - Farnesol - D-Limonene
- IFRA :
- This ingredient is restricted by IFRA
- Annexe I :
- Some regulated synthetic ingredients are found in nature and in certain proportions in natural ingredients. This presence in nature has to be taken into account when calculating limits of use recommended by the IFRA. In case you do not know these concentrations, you can use the ones estimated by the IFRA. Here they are :
- Annexe I :
- Some regulated synthetic ingredients are found in nature and in certain proportions in natural ingredients. This presence in nature has to be taken into account when calculating limits of use recommended by the IFRA. In case you do not know these concentrations, you can use the ones estimated by the IFRA. Here they are :
| List of regulated compounds contained in this ingredient | ||
|---|---|---|
| Regulated ingredient name | CAS N° | Estimated Concentration |
| Geraniol | 106-24-1 | 82,4 |
| Farnesol | 4602-84-0 | 1 |
| Citral | 5392-40-5 | 0,6 |
| List of regulated compounds contained in this ingredient | ||
|---|---|---|
| Regulated ingredient name | CAS N° | Estimated Concentration |
| Geraniol | 106-24-1 | 82,4 |
| Farnesol | 4602-84-0 | 1 |
| Citral | 5392-40-5 | 0,6 |
To learn more about IFRA's standards : https://ifrafragrance.org/safe-use/library
ScenTree is solely responsible for the information provided here.
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