Description
History – Eucalyptus Australiana
Traditional Usage
Indigenous Australians would place leaves in small pools of water, which were then heated by placing hot/heated rocks into the water. This produced steam and the leaf oils vapours would be breathed in.
Early European Usage
Eucalyptus oil was first distilled around 1788. However the first commercial Eucalyptus oil production began at Dandenong creek. It was established by Joesph Bosisto in 1852, upon the insistence of one of Australia’s greatest botanists, Ferdinand von Mueller. That first commercial species was in fact Eucalyptus radiata. Thankfully, Australia is still a major source of this wonderful, fresh, eucalyptus oil.
Present Day Usage
While not as well popularised or marketed as other types of Eucalyptus oils, it may well be the best Eucalyptus of all. With its fresh and fruity aroma, it still qualifies as an effective, legitimate Eucalyptus oil.
There are a couple of chemical varieties of Eucalyptus radiata. Essentially Australia uses only Eucalyptus Australiana because of it’s fine medicinal qualities, its elegant freshness, and richness in cineole. Another variety of Eucalyptus radiata known as var. ‘B’, known as Eucalyptus phellandra, produces a less aromatic oil, which we do not use.
Typical Chemical Profile of Eucalyptus Australiana Essential Oil
alpha-pinene 2.5%
beta-pinene 0.6%
myrcene 1.3%
alpha-phellandrane 0.9%
para-cymene 0.9%
limonene 4.5%
1,8 cineole 72.6%
gamma-terpinene 0.7%
terpinolene 0.2%
alpha-terpineol 9.4%
Relative Density @ 20 C: 0.905-0.925
Refractive Index @ 20 C: 1.459-1.465
Optical Rotation +0 TO +9 C