Artemisia ludoviciana - Owyhee

[Guest guest]

Sorry, I realize I have not posted the article

on Owyhee. But here is some good info on this wonderful oil.

 

Artemisia essential oils from Oregon do not contain thujone, that toxic ketone

that

frightens away aromatherapy enthusiasts.

Sweet, fruity, jasmine-peachlike, slightly spicy with estragon-like notes.

The

Artemisias' are usually associated with ketones such as thujone, absinthe, and

other toxic

principles, and have been largely excluded from use in aromatherapy.

However, before dismissing the Artemisia as a whole, consider some facts about

our

native American species from the Pacific Northwest. The western species of

Artemisia are

of two plant types - woody sagebrush (A. tridentata), and the herbaceous (A.

ludoviciana

var. latiloba) types that die back to the ground at the end of the growing

season. Most

gardeners are familiar with the silver-leaved Artemisias such as " Silver King "

or Silver

Queen " that are cultivars of the A.ludoviciana, but have little aroma, or oil

content.

There are over 30 distinct species and subspecies , as well as an unknown

number of

interspecific hybrids.) This diverse group is an interbreeding complex

producing highly

variable offspring with many plant and oil types, and diverse terroir of

populating different

microclimates and soil types. They are adaptable to modern agricultural

practices and are

easily propagated to maintain uniformity of oil type. Some species of interest

include A.

ycnocephala, A. suksdorfii, A. vulgaris, and A. packardii.

The essential oils of most of Oregon's Artemisias are composed of irregular

monoterpenes, also called non-head-to-tail monoterpenes. Many of these

compounds

are esters, such as artemisyl acetate, that have high impact, fruity aromas.

Some have

davana-like aromas due to small amounts of ether compounds. A few of the oils

have

antifungal sesquiterpenes, others mimic the aroma of rosemary. The

combinations and

chemotypes are large.

 

Essential Oil of A. ludoviciana which has a high ester content and is useful as

a

relaxing inhalant or in fragrant blends for perfume or in massage oils is

available from

Prima Fleur, 415/455-0957.

GC of A. ludoviciana latiloba

Artemisia triene= 0.10%

iso-amyl acetate= 0.27%

yomogi alcohol= 11.08%

alpha-copaene= 0.04%

linalool= 2.25%

[l lpfdterpinene-4-ol= 0.21%

(Z)-nerolidol= 0.08%

camphene= 3.50%

1,8-cineole= 5.10%

Artemisia acetate= 62.52%

Artemisia alcohol= 6.45%

cis-sabinene hydrate= 0.14%

iso-borneol= 0.09%