Essential Oil of the Week (March 15-21, 2010): BERGAMOT - Its Origin

Bergamot, also known as Bergamot orange and "citrus bergamia" is made from a tree that can grow up to 4 meters tall. The tree includes flowers that are white and highly fragrant. The flowers mature into citrus fruit, resembling a flattened lemon. The fruit ripens from green to yellow.

Bergamot is native to South East Asia and commercially grown in Europe, particularly Italy. It is also found in the Ivory Coast, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. Its name is derived from the city Bergamo in Lombardy, Italy, where the oil was first sold.

Bergamot is seldom eaten raw, but is rather candied or processed to get the essential oils it contains. The oil is extracted via "cold pressed" or cold extraction from the rind of both ripe and unripe fruit. It is well-known for its strong and pleasant scent, that is used in the perfume industry, and is part of the bergamot flavored teas, such as Earl Grey tea. The scent is citrus with a sweet, warm, spicy floral aroma.

Bergamot oil is widely used in aromatherapy and one of the favorites among the essential oils.


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