Orris pallida Essential oil France

There are more than 210 different species of iris. Today, though, only two are used in perfumery, iris pallida and iris germanica. Iris pallida is a majestic plant with iridescent, pale-lavender flowers. But it is not the flower that interests perfumers: Like ginger, it is the plant’s rhizomes that contain its fragrance. The flower is an emblem of French royalty and a symbol of Mediterranean culture, and Catherine de Medici was the woman to introduce the use of iris as a fragrance in the 16th century.

Cultivation of the iris, a prestigious raw material in perfumery, developed in Europe in the 19th century and is the pride of Tuscany. The iris is also one of the perfume plants that brought the Grasse region its fame, along with the Centifolia rose and jasmine. Our long-term partnership originally established with producers of the Hérault department helps us promote and perpetuate this legacy of savoir-faire. The iris plants remain in the ground for three years to give the rhizomes time to gorge themselves in irone precursors, source of the characteristic fragrance. The rhizomes are harvested twice a year during their vegetative periods, then washed, crushed, and dried. They are then distilled to extract orris essential oil, also called orris butter, with a high irone content that produces the characteristic powdery, floral, and woody notes.

Advised uses : Aromatherapy, Perfumery, Cosmetic, Alimentary