VERBENA belongs to the Verbenaceae plant family. There are about 800 different species in this group. The botanical name is Lippia citriodora. The plant was introduced in the Isle of Wight in England at the end of the 18th century. Planted as a shrub it became for some time a decorative plant in European gardens. It gained a certain popularity as herbal tea there and particularly after in France. Until today Verbena tea, comparable to Chamomile tea in Germany, is a common drink in French households or cafés. The plant is native to South America, especially Chile and Paraguay, but…
NUTMEG – spicy-mystic reconnector of our “body-mind”
The Nutmeg species of trees belongs to the Myristica genus. The botanical name of the commercially most significant species is Myristica fragrans, an evergreen tree indigenous to the Moluccas or “Spice Islands” of Indonesia. Nutmeg yields 2 different spices from the fruit, one is the actual inner kernel of the fruit and the other the red net like layer around it which consists of a leathery thin tissue called “Aril” or Mace situated between the kernel and the pulp. After sun-drying to develop its distinctive flavour, the outer fruit layer is removed and the pit or kernel separated. Mace is…
Fragrant Light – Medicine of the Future
The deep inter-connectedness of plants with the Cosmos and their omnipresent nourishing and caring attitude towards all living beings, makes it very easy to fall in love with their essence and develop an unending admiration for the unfathomable intelligence of Nature present in them. …and through them we are connected with the creative spirit behind all things. Healing frequencies Smelling an essential oil means: We inhale the very consciousness of the plant. We connect directly with its subtle celestial energy field or “healing vibration”. In our physiology we enliven some of the self-expanding, self-transcending flow of the more subtle,…
NIAOULI – breathe and protect with motherly care
The name “Niaouli” is derived from Nyelayu, a New Caledonian language, translated into Niaouli in French. The botanical name is Melaleuca viridiflora or Melaleuca quinquenervia, commonly known as Niaouli or “broad-leaved paperbark”. The genus name “Melaleuca” means “black and white” – referring to the colour of the bark which resembles the bark of the birch tree. And “quinquenervia” meaning “five lines” refers to the lanceolate shaped leaves with their five nerve fibres. “Viridiflora” means “green flowered”. The flowers are typical for Melaleuca: roundish-spike shaped. The tree, being similar to Eucalyptus in appearance and aroma, has a pliable trunk and a…
GERANIUM – animate, uplift, relax
Geranium oil – with its Latin genus name Pelargonium – belongs to the Geraniaceae plant family. The beautiful plant has its origin in South Africa. Today it occurs in many different species, most of which grow in North Africa, East Africa, Egypt, and Middle East regions, but it is also abundantly found in the gardens of Southern Europe. Most Geranium species are cultivated for decorative purposes, only a few like Pelargonium roseum, Pelargonium graveolens, Pelargonium asperum, Pelargonium tomentosum and Geranium macrorrhizum are used for the production of essential oils. The high-quality oil from the Bourbon Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) is especially…
Leaves – the Green Mystery
What would the world be without leaves of plants? And what would the plant be without leaves? Simply to say: NOTHING – impossible to think otherwise as much as we cannot think of the Earth without air, a human being without lungs or a fire without heat. The Green Leaves are the global lungs of our planet – their breath bestows the most vital energy to all living beings on Earth. We can also call the leaves “solar batteries” of Mother Nature, because they drink, store and transform Sun light in the most fascinating way and use this light –…
MANDARIN – GOLDEN GIFT FROM MOTHER NATURE
Mandarin belongs to the citrus fruits like Orange, Bergamot, Grapefruit, Yuzu, Tangerine… with the difference that the Mandarin is more yellow in colour and contains pips, whereas the Tangerine is more orange in colour and has no pips. Both of them belong to the Rutaceae plant family and the botanical name of Mandarin and Tangerine is Citrus reticulata – reticulata meaning “net-like”, indicating the fine pattern of the peel. This may be seen as a symbol of the special healing powers of the essential oil. Mandarin is a small evergreen tree reaching a height of about 6 metres. It prefers…
Thoughts on Arthritis/Arthrosis – Aromatherapy and Herbal Medicine
Arthritis and Arthrosis are symptoms of pain and stiffness in the joints; ligaments and bones, both are affected in both cases. It is an inflammatory condition and as such can also influence skin and muscles as well as certain organs. Arthrosis is one of the most common kinds of Arthritis. In this case the cartilage, which is a kind of slippery buffer tissue in between the bones, is affected. Often when people age, this cartilage loses its function and in some cases vanishes totally. Then the contact between bones becomes a problem – pain, swelling, stiffness are the usual consequences….
FENNEL- an ancient panacea for body, mind and spirit
Fennel with its Latin name Foeniculum vulgare belongs to the Apiaceae (former: “Umbelliferae”) plant family. The name is derived as a diminutive of the latin word “fenum” meaning “hay” which certainly has to do with the grass like feathery appearance of the leaves. Originally, in Europe, the plant was only native to the Mediterranean area preferring a sunny and wind-protected environment. But since the Middle Ages Fennel has also been cultivated in Northern parts of Europe. Going back in history we find that the herb has a long medicinal reputation. Fennel was believed to give longevity, courage and strength. During…
CINNAMON – spicy power medicine wrapped in sweetness
Cinnamon, known to man since time immemorial, is an amazing spice gained from the dried inner bark of an evergreen bushy tree belonging to the Laurel family (Lauraceae). The tree does not grow higher than 30 feet and is native to countries of South-Asia and South-East Asia, especially to Sri Lanka, the Indian Malabar coast, Bangladesh, Myanmar(Burma) and Indonesia. Nowadays it is also cultivated in countries of Central- and South-America, the West-Indies, Madagascar and other regions of the world which due to their subtropical or tropical climate enable the growth of the tree. Cinnamon prefers a soil of loam or…
THUJA – matter to clean – spirit to rise
Thuja oil or – English “Cedar leaf” oil – stems from Thuja occidentalis, a specie of the Cypress family (Cupressaceae). The tree can become 6-20 m high. The branches are horizontally ramified, the leaves are dark green at the top side and light green at the underside. One can really say that the Cypress family is like a transition between the leaf and the needle trees since their “leaves” are not really leaves – and their “needles” are not really needles. Thuja is an evergreen tree, the reason why it is also called “Smaragd Cedar”. It is widely used as…
MAGNOLIA – Queen of the blossoms
Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) is a member of the Magnoliaceae plant family. There are more than 240 different species, many of them deciduous as well as evergreen ones among them. The tree is native to south and south-east Asia, especially India. The name Magnolia was given in honor of Pierre Magnol (1638-1715), a French professor of botany and director of the Botanical Garden in Montpellier. He was one of the first scientists to establish the current scheme of botanic descriptions and classifications of plants. There is scientific evidence that Magnolia is an ancient genus. Fossilized Magnolia flowers together with the bugs…
