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Petitgrain Essential Oil

Also known as Orange Leaf Oil.

Though steam distilled from the same botanical species as neroli and bitter orange, Petitgrain Essential Oil possesses its own characteristically unique aroma. Petitgrain Oil is distilled from the leaves and sometimes the twigs and branches of the tree whereas Neroli Essential Oil is distilled from the blossoms and Orange Essential Oil is typically cold pressed from the rinds of the fruits.

Because it is distilled from the leaves and sometimes also the twigs, it is less floral and less citrusy in fragrance than Neroli or Orange. Petitgrain Oil possesses an aroma that is sweet, yet tart with subtle floral and woody characteristics. It blends especially well with citrus, floral and wood oils. It's a joy to work with for aromatic blending.

Petitgrain Essential Oil that is from France is known as Petitgrain Bigarade Essential Oil. [Salvatore Battaglia, The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy (Australia: The Perfect Potion, 2003), 249.]

Emotionally, I find Petitgrain Essential Oil to be uplifting, calming and balancing. I tend to include Petitgrain Oil in my inhalers intended to help ease anxiety and high stress situations. Like Lavender, Petitgrain Oil contains the calming ester linalyl acetate and the calming/anti-bacterial monoterpenol linaolol.

Typically when the common name of an essential oil is simply listed as Petitgrain Essential Oil,, the oil is likely distilled from Citrus aurantium. However, it is important to doublecheck because steam distilled Combava Petitgrain, Citrus hysterix, and Clementine Petitgrain, Citrus clementia Essential Oils are also available from a few sources. The aromas of each definitely say "Petitgrain" when you smell them, but each definitely has its own lovely aroma and unique aromatic characteristics. The natural chemical composition of each oil also varies, and it appears that Petitgrain derived from Citrus aurantium is the most abundant in Linalyl acetate and linalol. The GC/MS reports that I've seen for both Combava Petitgrain and Clementine Petitgrain have been a bit conflicting, so I hesitate to suggest what the typical composition should be until I have more definitive information.

The aroma of Petitgrain Essential Oil is a wonderful addition to blends especially formulated for men (women love it too). Petitgrain is considered an aphrodisiac.

Botanical Name

Citrus aurantium

Common Method of Extraction

Steam Distilled

Plant Part Typically Used

Leaves and Twigs

Color

Clear with a Yellow Tinge

Consistency

Thin

Perfumery Note

Top

Strength of Initial Aroma

Medium

Aromatic Description

Fresh, sweet, yet tart with subtle floral and woody characteristics.

Petitgrain Essential Oil Uses

Acne, fatigue, oily skin, stress. [Julia Lawless, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1995), 56-67.]

Major Constituents

Linalyl acetate
Linalol
(+)-Limonene
a-Terpineol
Geranyl acetate (reported for Bigarade Petitgrain Oil)
See Essential Oil Safety for complete constituent list and for chemotype differences for Paraguayan Petitgrain Oil.

[B.M. Lawrence, Essential Oils 1988-1991 (Wheaton: Allured Publishing, 1995), 107-110. Source cited in Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 374.]

Safety Information

Tisserand and Young do not indicate any special precautions when using Petitgrain Oil. Reading Tisserand and Young's full profile is recommended. [Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 374-375.]

Unlike many other citrus oils, Petitgrain Oil is not considered phototoxic.

Shelf Life

View Shelf Life Information

Important Information About the Profiles

The essential oil information provided on AromaWeb is intended for educational purposes only. This data is not considered complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate. The oil photos are intended to represent the typical and approximate color of each essential oil. However, oil color can vary based on harvesting, distillation and other factors. Profiles for several absolutes are included within the directory, and are denoted as such.

General Safety Information

Do not take any oils internally and do not apply undiluted essential oils, absolutes, CO2s or other concentrated essences onto the skin without advanced essential oil knowledge or consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Use extreme caution when using oils with children. It is safest to consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner before using oils with children. For in-depth information on oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young.

Essential Oil Book Suggestions

Click on a book's title to view details and read a full review for the book. Visit AromaWeb's Books area to find details about many other essential oil and aromatherapy books.

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Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals
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The Complete Book Of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy
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The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Essential Oils
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