BergamotFamily: Rutaceae Fragrant Note: Top Origin: Bergamot is a native to South East Asia, but was introduced to Europe, and particularly Italy. It is also found in the Ivory Coast, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria.Bergamot oil is made from a tree that can grow up to four meters high, with star-shaped flowers and smooth leaves, bearing citrus fruit resembling a cross between an orange and a grapefruit, but in a pear-shape. The fruit ripens from green to yellow. Extraction Method: The rind of both ripe and unripe fruit is used to extract the oil by expression, which yields about 0.5 %. Description: The scent of the oil is basically citrus, yet fruity and sweet, with a warm spicy floral quality and is reminiscent of neroli as well as lavender oil. The color ranges from green to greenish-yellow and the oil has a watery viscosity. Common Use: The oil can be used in the treatment of depression, stress, tension, fear, hysteria, infection (all types including skin), anorexia, psoriasis, eczema and general convalescence. Safety Information: The oil is photo toxic. Photo toxicity is caused by an ingredient called bergaptene present in the oil. It is advisable to keep out of the sun if this oil is used on the skin.Even when the ingredient Bergaptene (Furocoumarin) is removed from the oil and photo toxicity is therefore minimized, it is still advisable to keep treated skin out of the sun, and to use it in concentrations of less than 1 %. The Links below offer more resources. Bergamot Resources:
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