Helichrysum gymnocephalum and Italicum (angustifolium)

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HELICHRYSUM ANGUSTIFOLIUM DC.

called Everlasting and Immortal

 

DISTILLATION TIDBITS • THE various species of Helichrysum are hard to tell

apart,

they are polymorphic (have many shapes). They grow wild in many Mediterranean

countries. Most Italian oils are orange-colored. The finest and most

therapeutic

Helichrysum comes from Sicily - it is greenish-colored and honey scented and

contains the anti-hematomic (stops bruising) diketones called italidone. To

date, no

American or Croatian grown oil has been found to contain italidone. This oil

can be

taken internally for liver problems, and is used externally as a regenerative

and to

resolve scar tissue. See page 88-89 in 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols. The

hydrosol

is used to bathe fresh wounds, it is healing and soothing. It is unknown what

the USA

grown hydrosol will do in actual practice.

Specific gravity is .0.89-.92 ± .002 and the plants contain as little as

0.2-0.5%

essential oil.

Harvest must be done by hand of the flowering tops and leaves. They should be

wild-grown. Distilling must be done as soon as possible after harvest. If the

plants are

kept longer that 24 hours, the plant material will start to fade and to ferment

and the

oil will be of poor quality.——2001

Bibliography:

Guenther, The Essential Oils

Rose, Jeanne, 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols

Rose, Jeanne, Helichrysum from the Aromatic News, 2001.

 

Here is some more information for the files. Jeanne Rose