Orange ~
A description of sweet Orange/Blood Orange fruit, country of origin,
characteristics, Jeanne Rose skin care,
formulas and recipes on how to use this famous, important oil.
20-year Collection of Orange Oil. Sweet Orange & Blood Orange
ORANGE ESSENTIAL OIL/HYDROSOL PROFILE
By Jeanne Rose ~ July 2019
ORANGE. LATIN BINOMIAL AND NAMING ~
Citrus x aurantium. In the past it was called Citrus aurantium, C.
aurantium var. sinensis, C. sinensis and C. x sinensis with the ‘C’ always meaning Citrus. We are discussing
the sweet Orange and Blood Orange and not the Bitter Orange that was covered in
the blog-post on Neroli. The orange is a hybrid between pomelo (Citrus
maxima) as the female parent and mandarin (Citrus reticulata).
Yes, I know that this is
the same exact name as is used for Clementine and Grapefruit and Bitter Orange-Neroli.
But there are strict rules on naming and citrus has been examined and analyzed
for parentage for quite some time.
Citrus taxonomy is
confusing and often inconsistent. They are all named with Latin and common names. They
often have the same parentage but have different
physiologic forms or formae often based on terroir (such as Mandarin in
Italy and Tangerine in the USA) or scent chemistry such as (limonene which has
a chiral difference — both a left turning molecule, (S) for sinistral with the sour smell of Lemon or Bitter
Orange and a right turning molecule, (R) for right hand or clockwise, the sweet
smell of Oranges). This is the reason we all as lovers of essential oils
and aromatherapy need to learn some chemistry along with good taxonomy.
Family – Rutaceae
ORANGE. HISTORY, DESCRIPTION, & COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN ~ The Orange is not known in the wild and is assumed to have originated in southern China, maybe India and Indochina. The sweet Orange was mentioned in Chinese history as early as 300 B.C. It was carried to the Mediterranean by traders around 1500. Blood Oranges originated in Sicily and Spain in the 18th century and there are many varieties. Their pigment originates from anthocyanins. They often have intense sweet flavor with a hint of Raspberry.
I have always
wondered whether the color was named after the fruit or was the fruit named
after the color? Today I
found out that the color orange was named after the fruit, not the other
way around. Before then, the English-speaking world referred to the orange
color as geoluhread, which literally translates to “yellow-red.”
—Wikipedia
“The Color Orange Was Named After
the Citrus Fruit Orange.”
Moro Blood Orange in February
General description of plant, habitat & growth ~ This is a small, evergreen tree with a deliciously sweet pulp, dark green leaves and white flowers. The sweet Orange is a hybrid between the maternal line of the Pomelo (Citrus maxima) and the Mandarin (Citrus reticulata) and varieties of sweet Orange arise through mutations as the sweet Orange reproduces asexually.
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To see a chart of the five pure
origin Citrus genus, please see the Mandarin Jeanne-blog post.
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Portion of plant used in distillation,
how distilled, extraction methods ~ The peel oil is
either cold-pressed or steam-distilled. If it is steam-distilled it will be a
lighter color and have less of the fruity citrus odor of cold-pressed Orange. Commercially,
Orange oil can also be extracted from the juice during the juicing process.
Sometimes sweet Orange leaves and flowers are also distilled and that is called
Petitgrain and sweet Orange flower oil.
Yield ~ Orange peel oil yields up to 0.5% by cold-pressing.
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Organoleptic Characteristics of Various Orange Oil in 2019
‡
Orange
Essence is from juice; Orange wild is from the Dominican Republic from trees
that have reverted to a wild state; Orange sweet is from the United States and
Blood Orange from Italy.
4 Types of Orange Oil
ORANGE ODOR
DESCRIPTION ~ EO Odor is citrus, fruity and spicy. There
is also an herbaceous quality to the wild Orange that would be a lovely
addition in a citrus perfume. Blood Orange is very rich and more intense than
the others with a better tenacity in the blend or the perfume. The odor of any
Orange peel or Orange essence is dependent on its chemistry.
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“Sweet Orange
peel oil is the most important of the citrus oils. It yields up to 0.5% by cold pressing. It is
mainly produced in the south of Italy, Spain, Portugal, Florida and Brazil. (+)-Limonene is the main constituent of this
oil and has sweet scent and taste. The
aldehyde content of Sweet Orange oil is the measure of the oil. The preferred Valencia oil possesses up to 3%
aldehydes. One of which is decadienal with an extremely high aroma value. Other constituents that contribute to the
character and quality of Orange oil are the sinensal. x-sinensal has a high orange aroma scent and low odor threshold
while b-sinensal has a metallic-fishy
note that can be very objectionable.
The difference
between Orange and Grapefruit oil can be as simple as the amount of
(+)-valencene. When the amount of a-terpineol
exceeds normal level, off-notes occur.
This terpineol forms during the aging or oxidation of orange juice. (Some essential oil of Orange is indeed
produced from Orange Juice). The acetates contribute to the floral notes of
Orange oil.”1 — also from the Blending Book.
The taste of
Orange flesh and juice is determined mainly by the relative ratios of
sugars and acids and its ripeness when eaten. It can be sweet, tangy, tart,
deep and tasty, and combinations of all
of these and this taste is reflected in the odor or it might be better to say
that the odor is reflected in the taste.
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CHEMICAL COMPONENTS ~ D-Limonene
(the sweet one), N-Decylic Aldehyde, Linaloöl, Terpineol, and B-Carotene. Limonene is the most abundant compound of
monoterpene hydrocarbons for all the examined juices of Blood Orange, Sweet
Orange, Lemon, Bergamot and Bitter Orange and with the important difference
that mirror images of this molecule changes the odor and taste. In the citrus peels, Limonene, a compound of
the terpene family, is present in the essential oil of citrus peel. The limonene structure
has a chiral center, and thus it is found in nature as a mirror-image, two types,
the (R)- and (S)-limonene. Isomer (R)- has the characteristic sweet
smell of Oranges, while the (S)- smells like the sour of Lemons or bitter
Orange. (R) is clockwise or right hand and (S) is counterclockwise or
sinistral- left hand.
“Sweet Orange peel oil is the most
important of the citrus oils. It yields
up to 0.5% by cold pressing. It is mainly produced in the south of Italy,
Spain, Portugal, Florida and Brazil.
(+)-Limonene is the main constituent of this oil also called the (R or right-hand
isomer). The aldehyde content of Sweet
Orange oil is the measure of the oil.
The preferred Valencia oil possesses up to 3% aldehydes. One of which is
decadienal with an extremely high aroma value.
Other constituents that contribute to the character and quality of
Orange oil are the sinensal. X-sinensal has a high orange aroma scent and low
odor threshold while b-sinensal has a
metallic-fishy note that can be very objectionable.
The difference between Orange and
Grapefruit oil can be as simple as the amount of (+)-valencene. When the amount
of a-terpineol exceeds normal level,
off-notes occur. This terpineol forms
during the aging or oxidation of orange juice.
(Some essential oil of Orange is indeed produced from Orange Juice). The
acetates contribute to the floral notes of Orange oil.”1
There
are many synonyms for the sweet limonene including, d-limonene,
D-Limonene,
(+)-Limonene, (R)-(+)-Limonene, (R)-limonene and others.
Solubility ~ Incompletely
soluble in 95% alcohol up to 10 volumes. Some Orange oil is soluble in in a quarter
to half that amount.
∞
HISTORICAL USES ~ Digestive and flavoring. “The Color Orange Was Named After
the Fruit.” Today I
found out orange was named after the fruit, not the fruit named after the
color. Before then, the “English-speaking world referred to the orange
color as geoluhread, which literally translates to ‘yellow-red’.”
—Wikipedia
Sweet Orange and Blood Orange Oils — courtesy of Eden Botanicals
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INTERESTING
FACTS ~ Peel pulp and fruit pulp contains vitamins, minerals,
and enzymes. The peel oil does not
contain vitamins – so don’t drink it. Originated in China. The oil is used for flavoring food, drink,
and confectionery, Curacao type liqueurs and for flavoring cigarette
paper. The Orange tree was taken to the
West Coast of America by Franciscan monks, who began the cultivation of it
there. The cold-pressed peel oil protects against insect
damage when added to furniture polish and is used in termite eradication.
Valencia
oranges have thin skins, a few seeds, and are very juicy and
are considered the best for juicing.
Blood
Orange is not quite as sweet as the sweet Orange. The red
color comes anthocyanin, a type of flavonoid. It’s believed that this coloring
was the result of a mutation between the blond oranges and of Valencia’s and Navels.
If you want
to read 70 pages on the sweet Orange, blossom, oil and water, that would be
volume III , pages 118-197 of The Essential Oils by Guenther.
Fascinating and full of discovery.
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ORANGE PROPERTIES
GENERAL PROPERTIES OF ESSENTIAL OIL ~ In general, the oil of Orange is slightly
antiseptic, antispasmodic, a slight diuretic, sometimes a depurative
(purifying), stomachic, cholagogue (promotes the discharge of bile); when
inhaled is can be calming and sedating; and in skin care or by external
application it has antiseptic properties.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
& HOW USED (IG OR AP) ~ Application in skin care products and for disinfection. Internally by-the-drop
in orange juice, it is taken as a diuretic, for constipation, obesity,
bronchitis, colds, ‘flu, and to eliminate toxins.
Physical Uses & How Used ~ Application (AP) – Orange oil goes nicely into
many blends that are used for skincare. It would be a middle note to other
aromatic oils and blends well with many.
In lotions and creams, it has a slight antiseptic quality as well as the
aromatic sunshiny scent.
Ingestion
(IG) – Don’t. Drink the juice
instead and dry and keep the peels for your bath.
Inhalation
(IN) – Orange oil is relaxing by inhalation , especially when mixed with
some of your other favorites such as Lavender, Spikenard, Jasmine, and many
more.
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Skin Care Formulas are available in my 350-page Herbal Body Book that is chock-full of great skin, hair, and body care formulas. Here is one I have always enjoyed.
Corny Honey Peeler for Face or Body
Mix
together 1 tablespoon each of Cornmeal and Orange flower honey. Mix these together
in the palm of your hand and then apply to a steamed and cleansed face using
small circular motions. When the honey is tacky, apply a thin layer of yogurt
(or buttermilk will do) over the top, take a bath or shower and remove when
rinsing — first with warm and then with cool water. Your skin will be smooth and bright.
Sweet California Navel Oranges in February
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EMOTIONAL PROPERTIES
(AP OR IN) ~ Inhaled for nervousness and anxiety.
Emotional/Energetic Uses ~ Used by inhalation for nervous exhaustion, obsessions, to stimulate the appetite, to improve your self-image by boosting self-confidence, and assist with concentration. Orange peel oil can also be used in a blend via application (as in massage or topical use) for these emotional and energetic states.
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DIFFUSE/DIFFUSION
~ You can add Orange
peel/Blood Orange to any blend for diffusion. It does two things: it is rather
inexpensive and brings down the price of the entire blend and it adds the
sparkly sunny Orange odor to any combination of scents. A great way to refresh
the air of your home.
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EATING
ORANGES ~ For starters, not only is an orange a delicious fruit to
snack on whenever or daily, but its health benefits are an added perk. They
contain vitamin C, fiber and potassium. Eating Oranges promotes healthier and
more beautiful skin, better eyesight, reduces the chances of a stroke, assists
in weight loss, and helps keep our blood vessels healthy. Eating one Orange,
one Apple, one Tomato, and one Carrot every day supplies the correct types of
fiber into your diet.
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HERBAL
USES ~ My best suggestion for using Orange oil externally is not too. That is,
use the peel itself herbally. See below. But just in case you don’t know how,
here are some obvious choices.
I
have been happily using Orange flowers and Orange peel for over 50 years. the
sweet Orange peel is dried, cut, and added to bath herb mixtures as an aromatic
and antiseptic stimulant. This peel, cut & sifted (CS), makes any bath into a pleasure. The powdered
peel can be mixed with any liquid and used as a facial mask — I like it with
Almond meal or powdered Oatmeal. An infusion of the peel is also helpful as an
addition to your shampoo to reduce oiliness and in the herbal rinse as well. Refer
to Jeanne
Rose Herbal Body Book for hundreds more uses to add to your knowledge.2
The powdered peel sifted is also mixed with
baking soda or other drying agents and used as an underarm deodorant. It does
not stop the perspiration, but it does make it pleasant when you are out and
about working and especially in the garden, this mixture is repellent to bugs.
Orange peel box and Orange peel Olive Oil candle
Orange peel box and Orange peel Olive oil candle
Orange Peel Box. You can also make small boxes out of the peeled flavedo (skin). Cut Orange in half, scoop out the flesh and eat that, soak the skin in water for several hours, turn skin inside out and place over a mold or copper tubing (copper kills bacteria). Let dry over the mold. Then remove. Make sure they are very dry before you polish with a silk polishing cloth and then fill the box with potpourri, snuff or jewelry, and make sure that the top fits over the bottom. My own hand-made boxes never looked quite as ‘finished’ as the ones that I purchased in the ’80s.
Orange
Peel Candle. Halved, defleshed Oranges can also be made into Olive Oil
lamps. Keep the inner stem intact as you remove the juicy flesh as that is your
wick. Fill the peel with olive oil and light the wick. Olive oil works best because of
the high burning point, if it happens to spill, the oil drowns out the flame
and thus your wooden house won’t go up in flames. It probably also is wise
to place the Orange on a non-burnable base like a piece of tile.
∞•∞
I
also use thin-skinned Oranges at the end of the season when they are pithier – somewhere
around July – and I make pomanders — those medieval objects that are used to
decorate the Christmas tree or to put into a bowl and fragrance the room. Yes,
it is best to make pomanders in the months of July-August when you have a bit of time before the holidays
and so that the pomander can cure by the time Christmas arrives. Pomanders are
made with thin-skinned pithy Oranges (or whatever you have) and stuck full of
Cloves very close together. As the pomander dries, the skin shrinks, the Cloves
get closer together, preserves the Orange and the fragrant scent of
Orange/Clove fills the air. They take a month or so to cure. They are easy but
sometimes time-consuming to make.
Orange and Clove Pomander Ball for Scent
HYDROSOL ~ There is not much nicer application in the morning than a spray of Orange or Blood Orange hydrosol on your face or in the air around you. It feels refreshing and sunshiny – a good morning tonic for the skin. Orange and Blood Orange hydrosol is a facial toner and can be added to thick creams to thin them and they can be incorporated into all types of body care formulas. Blood Oranges have red colored flesh and sweet, berry-like notes that extend into the hydrosol.
Orange Hydrosol LimerickA spray with sweet Orange hydrosolWill make you feel good and feel tallIt will sweeten your skinAnd will heal your sore chinAnd heal anything short of a fall…JeanneRose2014
Positively Aromatic and Lancaster Creations are my special sources for the best citrus hydrosols. And Sandra Shuff, who owns Positively Aromatic, says her husband Douglas sprays Blood Orange hydrosol onto their salads to make a very special taste and these salads are really delicious. I sometimes forget how easy it is to use hydrosols on food — ‘a simple spray and away you go’.
Blood Orange Hydrosol
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HYDROSOL
— PLEASE NOTE ~ A true hydrosol should be specifically
distilled for the hydrosol, not as a co-product or even a by-product of
essential oil distillation. The plant’s cellular water has many components most
are lost under pressurized short steam runs for essential oil, or by using
dried material. We recommend that the producers specifically distill for a
product by using plant material that is fresh.
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KEY USE ~ Oil of Refreshment
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BLENDING ~ Sweet Orange oil blends with just
about anything. Be sure of what you have as there is also Bitter Orange Oil and
wild Orange from the Dominican Republic (oranges that are not cultivated and
allowed to revert to the wild state). Try the different Orange oils with these:
herbal oils like Angelica root, Clary Sage, Patchouli, Spearmint, Sage,
Rosemary, Marjoram, Thyme; evergreen oils such as Juniper berry, Pine, and
Spruce; all the citrus oils such as
Bergamot, Grapefruit, lemon, Lime, Mandarin, Petitgrain (these have all been
written about in the jeanne-blog; the florals of Chamomile, Rose Geranium, Lavender,
Mimosa, Rose, Jasmine, Vanilla; the spicy oils like Black Pepper, Caraway,
Cardamom, Cinnamon; all the resinous oils such as Cistus/Labdanum, Spikenard [the
resinous oils have also been discussed at length both specifically and in
general (see https://jeanne-blog.com/resin-resinoids-gums-eo/)]; and with the many CO2 extracts
that can be used in blends , skin care and perfumery.
Arctander
who wrote Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, mentions that Orange oil is used “as an odor-masking agent, … In
perfumes, old-fashioned eau de colognes, fern perfumes, Chypres, “fruity” and
citrus perfumes.” Just remember that Orange is not very tenacious in a perfume
and in a few weeks can get lost and the perfume scent will change.
Citrus
Scent Notes ~ Citrus oils are used in the perfumery
business to impart a fresh, sparkling note to any blend. They are usually not overpowering. They can be used in up to 25% as the base for
classic type of eau de cologne. Citrus
oils harmonize with many other essential oils and they are used in different
concentrations in almost all scent blends and modern perfumes.
In combination with Lavender oil, citrus oils
are the basis for English Lavender, which is an 1826 creation. High concentrations of citrus oils are in
Chanel No. 5 (1921). Also, of importance
are the citrus oils in pop drinks like Coca-Cola and others.
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PERFUMERY ~ Orange peel oil has much use in
perfumery. Here is a formula from 1867.
Eau De PortugalNeutral Grape Spirits at least 60 % …. 1 quartOrange Peel zest oil … ½ ozBergamot Peel Oil … ¼ ozRose otto oil … ½ dram (2 ml)Rinse all your cologne bottles with the spirits before filling with the Eau de Portugal.— The Art of Perfumery by Piesse
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sweet Orange essential oil
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A SCIENCE ARTICLE ..— NUTRITIVE AND MEDICINAL VALUE OF CITRUS FRUITS by Milind S. Ladaniya, in Citrus Fruit, 2008 “ ….. ….. Organic acids present in citrus fruits, such as citric acid, malic acid, oxalic acid, succinic acid, and malonic acid also provide calories, and are easily metabolized as they are the part of metabolic pathways in the human body. Citrus fruits do not increase the body’s acid content. These acids are very mild compared to the hydrochloric acid present in stomach. Most of the acids are present in the form of salts of potassium (with K or Na cation). Sodium and potassium are alkaline metals; their salts are excreted by the body in the form of sweat or urine. …..”
∞
References:
1Ohloff, Günther. Scent and Fragrances, The Fascination of Odors. Springer-Verlag. 2Rose, Jeanne. . /books.htmlArctander, Steffen. Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin. Elizabeth, NJ. 1960Guenther, Ernest. The Essential Oils. Krieger Publishing Company, FL. 1974. Guenther treatise on Orange Oil covers almost …….80 pages and should be read by anyone who truly has an interest in essential oils in general and Orange oil.Harman, Ann. Harvest to Hydrosol, 1st edition, 2015, IAG BotanicsMabberley, D.J., Mabberley’s Plant Book, 2008 3rd Edition 2014 updates, Cambridge University PressLadaniya, Milind S. • NUTRITIVE AND MEDICINAL VALUE OF CITRUS FRUITS. Citrus Fruit, 2008Piesse, G.W. Septimus. The Art of Perfumery and the Methods of Obtaining Odors from Plants. PA. 1867.Rawlinson, Gloria. The Perfume Vendor. Hutchinson & Co. 1937.Rose, Jeanne. 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols.Rose, Jeanne. The Blending Class Booklet. Available from the author at /books.htmlRose, Jeanne. Natural Botanical Perfumery. Available from the author at /Rose, Jeanne. The Aromatherapy Book, Applications & Inhalations.www.EdenBotanicals.com. 2019
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Orange flowers
Scent Rising up
Scent Rising
Up
