Eucalyptus Blue Gum Essential Oil
Botanical name Eucalyptus globulus
Ingredients 100% v/v pure Eucalyptus Blue Gum essential oil.
Aroma
A typical fresh, menthol, Eucalyptus aroma.
Benefits
Known for its antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic properties. It is a stimulant and removes bad room smells.
Uses
Use in an oil burner, air purifier, air freshener, potpourri, massage oil, bath, add drops to laundry washing or floor washing water, great in removing sticker and bandage residues. Stainless steel cleaner, remove stains, removes biro/texta and grease marks from clothing, assist in removing chewing gum.
Aromatherapy Oil
2 to 4 drops in an oil burner or vaporiser, 2-5 drops into a bath.
Blends with
Essentially Australia Oils: Anise Myrtle Essential Oil, Fragonia, Lemon Myrtle Essential Oil, Lemon Tea Tree Essential Oil, Rosalina, Australian Sandalwood Essential Oil, Tea Tree Essential Oil
Massage
10 to 25 drops per 100ml of carrier oil.
Food Flavouring
This Eucalyptus oil can be used as a food flavouring, it can be used to flavour lollies, lozenges, it can also be added to drink recipes.
For some this is known as a food grade essential oil, it is formally permitted to be used as a food flavouring by FEMA, its FEMA number is 2466. (FEMA stands for Flavour and Extract Manufacturers Association).
Main Actives
1,8 cineole, alpha-pinene, limonene, globulol, aromadendrene, alpha-terpineol.
Precaution
Keep out of reach of children, non-sensitising and non irritating. Store below 30 degrees and away from sunlight.
Other Common Names
Tasmanian Blue Gum, Eucalyptus globulus, Eucalyptus globulus essential oil, Eucalyptus oil
Natural Occurrence in Australia
Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus) is an extremely tall forest tree, found in the south east corner of Tasmania near Hobart, it is also naturally found just on the very outer south east regions just out of Melbourne. In its optimal situation this Eucalypt can reach up to 70 metres in height.
Oil Characteristics
Clear or colourless, watery, typical Eucalyptus menthol aroma.
Extraction and Farming Method
The essential oil is sourced entirely from plantations, the leaves are harvested and steam distilled.
History
Traditional Usage
This species of Eucalypt was believed to be also used by the indigenous Tasmanian people in same way as most of the recognised Eucalypts, for cuts, colds, infections. Also it is believed leaves were burnt to repel insects.
Early European Usage
Early settlers took advantage of the tree leaves for colds, coughs, flu, as well as the leaves were burnt in fires to repel insects. Blue Gum timber was used for poles and railway sleepers. In the 1860’s a Melbourne Archbishop took Blue Gum seed to Rome, where the fast growing trees were grown to drain swampy regions and as a result serious malaria problems were removed.
Present Day Usage
Blue Gum became the floral emblem of Tasmania in 1962.
The Blue Gum tree is a fast growing Eucalypt. In the 1990’s financial markets in Australia became attracted to management investment schemes for Blue Gum. Millions of dollars and tens of millions of trees were planted for the purpose of a renewable paper and pulp supply.
The schemes failed as timber from old growth forests were too cheap to source in comparison to the plantations. The plantations can be seen in Victoria, extensively in south west Western Australia, Tasmania and on Kangaroo Island in South Australia.
It has been also planted in large plantations overseas, including countries like Brazil, China, Ecuador, France, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, southern Africa, USA (where it is now considered a weed in California).
Blue Gum Eucalyptus globulus is the primary source of Eucalyptus oil around the world.
Typical Main Chemical Constituents of Eucalyptus Blue Gum Essential Oil
| 1,8 cineole | 65-80% |
| alpha-pinene | 10-30% |
| limonene | 3-5% |
| para-cymene | 0.1-1.5% |
| alpha-terpineol | 0.5-1.5% |
| globulol | 1.0-6% |
| aromadendrene | 0.5-4% |
Relative Density: @ 20 DG 0.900-0.935
Refractive Index @ 20 C 1.459-1.465
Optical Rotation @ 20 C+2 – +9 DG
