Essential oil of Lemon-scented eucalyptus

Native to Australia, Eucalyptus trees are fast-growing members of the Myrtaceae family. There are over 600 species, many of which have become well-acclimatised in other parts of the world, including South Africa, Europe, Latin America, etc. The leaves and roots of some Eucalyptus have the property of producing an allelopathic susbtance, i.e. components that enable the plant affect neighbouring species, plants and bacteria, to defend or protect their territory and reduce competition for food (soil nutrients, light, water) with other species.

The characteristic compound in Eucalyptus is 1,8-cineole (or eucalyptol), an aromatic component that has the property of destroying certain competitive botanical species and certain soil bacteria. This adaptation mechanism, along with their rapid growth, means that eucalyptus trees are easy to establish in new environments.

While the genus Eucalyptus is one of the tallest trees in the world, some species are rather small to medium-sized, such as lemon-scented eucalyptus, which tops out at around 18 m.

This eucalyptus is characterised by its rough bark, its white flowers in umbels and the delicious lemony scent given off by its leaves, a testament to the rich limonene and citral content of its essential oil. This evergreen tree is naturalised in Guatemala, certain regions of Africa and especially Brazil.

Compared with other eucalyptus, it contains very little cineole, but is particularly rich in aldehydes, such as neral and geranial, known for their powerful anti-inflammatory and calming effects, and esters, nervous system balancers and antispasmodics. This particular synergy and its very pleasant subtle fragrance make it the oil of choice for energetic treatments, particularly on melancholic, nervous or anxious subjects.

The presence of limonene, whose fruity and tangy fragrance has the power to awaken the innocence and carefree spirit of childhood in everyone , completes this effect to perfection.