Guest guest Posted May 21, 2005 Report Share Posted May 21, 2005 I have found out that your regular ol geranium (zonal geranium--pelargonium hortorum) will not produce the smell but will give you the medicinal properties. If you want the smell it seems that " pelargonium graveolens " is the one you want to use. It has pinkish white flowers. Of course will also give you the medicinal properties. So I am on the hunt. We live pretty remote and finding this geranium will probably be next to impossible :-) Tracy Tappin (BC Canada) Goat's Milk Skin Care http://www.goatmilkskincare.com CAE Tested and CL Free LaMancha Dairy Goat's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2005 Report Share Posted May 21, 2005 try www.richters.com, they are located in Ontario and I'm sure they will have it.. Carol > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2005 Report Share Posted May 21, 2005 On May 21, 2005, at 10:15 AM, Natures_Natural_Solutions wrote: > If you want the smell it seems that " pelargonium graveolens " is the > one you want to use. It has pinkish white flowers. Of course will > also give you the medicinal properties. So I am on the hunt. We live > pretty remote and finding this geranium will probably be next to > impossible :-) That's right. You need to know the Latin name of any plant or herb or essential oils you are looking for. Many plants share common names and it means nothing. The common Geranium you are thinking of is not the " Geranium " we refer to in this industry (AT). The " Geranium " used to produce the essential oil you will find as an essential oil, hydrosol, etc is a Pelargonium. You'll find Pelargonium graveolens by the name Geranium or Geranium bourbon or Pelargonium roseum as Geranium or Rose Geranium commonly. The leaves are distilled to produce this fragrant essential oil. The plants you are referring to found commonly in the garden share the same genus. You also mentioned trying to make an infusion of these flowers in water. I don't think you'll have much luck trying to extract (or preserve) in this fashion with any plant or flower. Many of us here make infusions and tinctures (in oil or alcohol) for the purpose of natural perfumery using fragrant flowers, vanilla beans, resins, leaves, etc. Infusions in water are normally used in herbalism in the way of a decoction, infusion or tea that is used right away- internally or externally. When I hear the word " infusion " I think process using hot or cold water. People who make their own " flower essences " will infuse the material fresh in water (in the sun) and then preserve the " essence " (meaning completely different here than in AT) in alcohol (often brandy). " Flower Essences " like these do not have a scent. They are used by the drop in a way that is like homeopathy. Anything captured that is physically " measurable " is minute. The intention has to do more with capturing a sort of " spiritual " essence that is not measured in the same way obviously. I am leaving a lot out, but I just want to give a sense of the different ways the same words can be used in this industry to mean different things. Chamomile is another good example and one folks should also understand when reading labels, but I don't think I have time now to elaborate. The point is to really know what you are looking for and lear the Latin names. Hth, Elizabeth Whole Life Essentials Pure Organic Essential Oils, Hydrosols, & Natural Products http://www.WholeLifeEssentials.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2005 Report Share Posted May 21, 2005 On May 21, 2005, at 2:08 PM, Garden wrote: > I think I have that one, I bought several scented geraniums last month > and > oneo f them has that color flower. How would I infuse it, would an oil > infusion work? Thanks > anne > Quick very simplified general response to questions to do with " infusing " : First thing is to know for sure what you have. You need to know the Latin name. You can also search to find images so you can identify visually. What is the purpose of wanting to " infuse " what kind of a product are you wanting to make? What properties are you wanting to extract from the plant? What is the best method to do that? What part of the plants need to be extracted? Not every part has the same constituents or in the same levels. Not all parts are useful for what you need. How will the product be used or applied? Safety? Preservation? Infusing generally refers to using water- or oil. We infuse chamomile or peppermint from the garden and have a tea. We might make a decoction in water with the same (much stronger tea) and use for a compress. Many of us (especially those who make natural perfumes and toiletries) infuse Vanilla beans in oil to capture the scent- a very different scent than the scent we capture by extracting (by tincturing) those same beans in grain alcohol. Many of us do both! It has to do with what you want to use it for and what you are looking to capture. Parts of a plant or fragrance may be more soluble in water or a solvent like alcohol- or in a fat or oil. With heat or without. With steam distillation or other kinds of extraction like CO2 or absolute. Etc...... So, what are you wanting to make and how do you want to use it are my first questions? Elizabeth Whole Life Essentials Pure Organic Essential Oils, Hydrosols, & Natural Products http://www.WholeLifeEssentials.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2005 Report Share Posted May 21, 2005 On May 21, 2005, at 2:08 PM, Garden wrote: > If you want the smell it seems that > " pelargonium graveolens " is the one you want to use. It has pinkish > white > flowers. Of course will also give you the medicinal properties. So > I am on > the hunt. We live pretty remote and finding this geranium will > probably be > next to impossible :-) > Typically the leaves are steam distilled and produce an oil that is rosy in scent- containing some of the same constituents as Rose. I have not tried making tincturing or infusing the leaves in oil. I'm not sure what you'll be able to get. If you want something that has the scent in a water base for some reason you can " infuse " some of the essential oil in water (sometimes these are sold on the market and called flower water) or you can buy the hydrosol from steam distillation. Very lovely. As for capturing the delicate scent of flowers for scent at home (without distilling or commercially extraction)- I usually use alcohol and not water or oil. Change the blossoms daily or as the color disappears. Repeat daily until the scent is strong enough. You can try this with unsprayed plants- lilac for instance. Jeanne Rose has described a process by which she makes a lilac perfume this way. I think over several seasons (putting the first season's away in the freezer and then beginning again). You can infuse some plants in oil also but you need to be careful with fresh (undried) plant material because they contain water. Hth, Elizabeth Whole Life Essentials Pure Organic Essential Oils, Hydrosols, & Natural Products http://www.WholeLifeEssentials.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2005 Report Share Posted May 21, 2005 On May 21, 2005, at 2:07 PM, Elizabeth wrote: > When I hear the word " infusion " I think process using hot or cold > water. Or oil- I meant to say there. E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2005 Report Share Posted May 21, 2005 I would use the leaves/flower and infuse it (oil?) for use topically on my dog. I usually use Rose Geranium essential oil in a spray to deter ticks so would use it in a similar fashion presuming the fragrance comes thru. anne So, what are you wanting to make and how do you want to use it are my first questions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2005 Report Share Posted May 21, 2005 On May 21, 2005, at 2:41 PM, Garden wrote: > I would use the leaves/flower and infuse it (oil?) for use topically > on my > dog. I usually use Rose Geranium essential oil in a spray to deter > ticks so > would use it in a similar fashion presuming the fragrance comes thru. > anne I think you are much better off using the essential oil properly diluted in water (you can use a small bit of grain alcohol or vodka to help disperse it or just shake the bottle before use). The constituents you are wanting to extract are in the leaves- if I were to go after them in this way for this use I would do so in 190 proof alcohol for a few weeks-months and then dilute in water. This might work. You could even make a vinegar rinse infused this way to use when you bathe him. But for a use like you have described I'd go for the steam distilled essential oil in water in a heartbeat and probably avoid any alcohol (just use distilled water as your base and shake. If your dog is licking it off his fur, find a different approach like a bandana. The essential oil gives you a very concentrated product that is safest and easiest to work with for the kind of use you want. That's my guess. Plus how much eo will you need all summer? I'd just get 5 or 10 ml of the best quality steam distilled you can find and it'll last and last and you'll find a lot of other uses. I would try to dry the leaves of the plant if you have it and use as a bath tea, perhaps make a scented infusion in vinegar for the hair, also you can make a tea or use the leaves as a flavoring in certain dishes- Chris (resident herbal gourmet) may have some good ideas regarding infusions of the fresh or dry leaves in cooking. Elizabeth Whole Life Essentials Pure Organic Essential Oils, Hydrosols, & Natural Products http://www.WholeLifeEssentials.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2005 Report Share Posted May 21, 2005 Thanks I think you are much better off using the essential oil properly diluted in water (you can use a small bit of grain alcohol or vodka to help disperse it or just shake the bottle before use). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 22, 2005 Report Share Posted May 22, 2005 Tracy as far as I know you can grow any geranium from a slip. Let me know what you are looking for and I can send you some to start. Gayla Roberts Always Enough Ranch Acampo, California goatclearing http://coloredboers.home.att.net/always.html - " Natures_Natural_Solutions " <talismanacres Saturday, May 21, 2005 8:15 AM Geranium Infusion > I have found out that your regular ol geranium (zonal geranium--pelargonium hortorum) will not produce the smell but will give you the medicinal properties. If you want the smell it seems that " pelargonium graveolens " is the one you want to use. It has pinkish white flowers. Of course will also give you the medicinal properties. So I am on the hunt. We live pretty remote and finding this geranium will probably be next to impossible :-) > > Tracy Tappin (BC Canada) > Goat's Milk Skin Care http://www.goatmilkskincare.com > CAE Tested and CL Free LaMancha Dairy Goat's > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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