August 30, 2017
BASIL ESSENTIAL OIL IN ALCHEMY
After analyzing more generally the essential oils linked to the 4 elements in alchemy, let’s get acquainted with some of them. August is the month of fire, and we had to begin with an essential oil linked to this element: …
July 31, 2017
AROMATIC WATER OR FLORAL WATERS: WHAT ARE THEY?
The vapor current distillation is a technique that allows the extraction of essential oils from the plant tissue, through their transport by vapor steam. At the end of this process we always obtain two important products: essential oil and aromatic …
February 10, 2017
TANGERINE ESSENTIAL OIL: USES AND PROPERTIES
Tangerine represents, together with Cedar and Grapefruit, one of the three citrus fruits from which all the others generated. Its taste, sweet and not too sour, made it popular and Tangerine is the second most requested citrus fruit, after orange. …
December 29, 2016
YLANG YLANG ESSENTIAL OIL: USES AND PROPERTIES
The name probably comes from the Filipino expression “Alang –Alang” which means “hanging, floating”, to describe the big, pendulous flowers from which the essential oil is extracted. In the second half of the 18th century this big tropical tree, …
November 15, 2016
AROMATIC AND MEDICINAL PLANTS: CONSERVATION
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been talking about the various details that characterize the proper preparation of medicinal plants for household use. We started with a series of suggestions for safe and sustainable harvesting, then moved on to the …
October 13, 2016
AROMATIC AND MEDICINAL PLANTS: DRYING TECHNIQUES
Are you drawn to the idea of making your own selection of culinary herbs, herbal teas, and medicinal plants? Then, don’t miss the first part of this guide to preserving wild plants: harvesting. If you are ready for the …
September 19, 2016
AROMATIC AND MEDICINAL PLANTS: HARVESTING
Wild harvesting: choice of plants and recognition whit all the advices for sustainable and safe harvesting In Italy, as well as in other countries of the Mediterranean area, it is possible to identify, without too many difficulties, several …
June 28, 2016
NEEM OIL, FROM THE PLANT OF GOOD HEALTH
Azadirachta indicates A. Juss., known as Neem, is an ancient plant, used for centuries in India as fertilizer and insecticide. In Sanskrit, it is referred to by the name of Nimba, that is “who gives good health”. Just think that …
February 23, 2015
HERBAL TEAS, INFUSIONS AND DECOCTIONS: THE DIFFERENCES AND METHODS OF PREPARATION
Herbal teas are herbal products based on water and medicinal plants. They belong to the category of plant extracts called hydrolytes or plant extracts dried by means of water. Until a hundred years ago, herbal teas were the main means …