Petitgrain Oil Paraguay
A fresh, green and sweet floral reminiscent of orange blossom with a woody, herbaceous undertone. Petitgrain oil is often used in colognes to accompany an orange blossom absolute or neroli. It is also sometimes used in tea notes. It is also used in soap perfumery, where its great strength and versatility are appreciated.
In North Africa, the Citrus aurantium tree is grown primarily for its orange flowers and for the production of neroli oil or orange blossom absolute, with petitgrain being a by-product of the annual pruning of the tree. In Paraguay, on the other hand, the cultivation of the leaves and stems for essential oil has always been a speciality. The most common agricultural model for petitgrain oil comes from small producers in Paraguay who grow, harvest and distil the essential oil on their own land. Many farmers see their trees as a kind of ‘savings account’ to draw on when they need extra cash.
The leaves of the tree are green, rather pointed and evergreen. Leaves and twigs are cut by hand or with pruning shears when and where the tree’s foliage is densest. Harvesting begins at the end of the orange blossom, which is in early June, and ends in January. The trees can be pruned every nine months. The branched are processed into essential oil by steam distillation.
Petitgrain is the essential oil obtained from the distillation of leafy twigs with unripe fruits of the bitter orange tree. The name ‘petitgrain’ was first used to describe the small, green, unripe fruit of the bitter orange tree. It was later used to describe the essential oil extracted from the leaves and twigs.
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