Description:
Native to Paraguay, Spain, and Morocco, spread to South-East Asia, and North-Eastern India, Burma, and China. Other than in Paraguay, bitter orange trees are cultivated for the production of petitgrain essential oil in Algeria, Egypt, France, Guinea, Haiti, Italy, Morocco, Spain, and Tunisia. The essential oil extracted from Citrus aurantium is also called bergamot petitgrain which is a hybrid between pomelo and mandarin orange.

The leaves and twigs of several other citrus species other than Citrus aurantium are used to extract the petitgrain oil are lemon petitgrain (Citrus limonum), mandarin petitgrain (Citrus reticulata), but these oils are not used in aromatherapy.

Petitgrain essential oil is extracted from the fresh leaves and green twigs of the bitter orange tree (Citrus aurantium). The bitter orange tree is a small evergreen that attains a height of about 3 to 6 metres. It has a tighter crown of leaves and more erect than an orange tree (Citrus dulcis).

Cultivation and Harvesting:
Citrus aurantium tree is more productive among all essential oil producing trees, providing three essential oils from its leaves and twigs, flowers and peel. These essential oils are as under:
1. Petitgrain essential oil- From leaves and twigs- The major constituent- Linalool (36-50%)
2. Neroli essential oil- From Flowers- The major constituent- Linalool (20-29 %)
3. Bitter orange essential oil- From Rinds (peel) of the fruits- The major constituent- Limonene (80-95%)

Harvesting can be done at any time, during harvesting trees are pruned every nine months to maintain optimum foliage. Extraction of petitgrain essential oil is by steam distillation and the oil yields ranged from 0.2 to 0.8 %. Its main centre of production in Paraguay and France.

Odour profile:
Greenish woody orange aroma

Major Constituents:
Linalool, Linalyl acetate, Limonene, a-Terpineol, Geranyl acetate.

Application:
~ Petitgrain essential oil promotes relaxing feelings and uplift at the same time, Allows restful sleep, Aids in treating hypertension, Maintains strong cardiovascular health, Prevents microbial infections, Prevents body odour and skin infections, Supports healthy immune function and maintain the oil-moisture balance of the skin.
~ It is also popular for its antispasmodic, antiseptic, nervine or nerve tonic, sedative, antidepressant properties.

Aromatherapy:
Petitgrain essential oil helps overcome depression and other problems such as anxiety, stress, anger, fear, treating hypertension and Soothe sensitive skin.