Orange, flowers, blossom

Orange Flower (Neroli) Oil. "The rose we call the queen of flowers, the jasmin the fairest and prettiest princess, but the orange flower is the most fragile and dainty of out royal family of flowers. If the rose stirs our memories, the jasmin our hopes, the orange flower stirs sentiments—sentiments most romantic " (14). Commercial neroh oil [8016-38 J is obtained by steam distillation of the freshly picked blossoms of the bitter orange Citrus aurantium L. subspecies amara, which is cultivated in Mediterranean countries as well as in Haiti and several other tropical countries. More than 125 components have been identified in the oil the principal ones are shown in Table 4 and Figure 1. 

Neroli oil and orange flower absolute are obtained from the blossoms of the bitter... 

After separation of neroli oil, the aqueous layer of the steam distillate, known as orange blossom water, is extracted with suitable solvents (e.g., petroleum ether). Evaporation gives orange flower water absolute (absolue de Teau de fleurs d oranger), which is a dark brown-red liquid. It contains less terpene hydrocarbons and correspondingly more polar compounds than neroli oil. 

Orange flower absolute is obtained from the blossoms by solvent extraction via the concrete. It is a dark brown liquid with a warm, spicy-bitter odor. 

So far only the oils obtained from citms fruits have been taken into account. Additionally, essential oils of the leaves, twigs and blossoms of citrus species are also available. Water vapour distillates of leaves and twigs are called petitgrain oils, while the distillate of orange blossoms is commercially available as neroli oil. Furthermore, also an orange flower absolute is produced from orange blossoms [2]. 

Neroli oil and orange flower absolute are obtained from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree, Citrus aurantium L., which is grown in France, Italy, and North Africa [642]. Neroli oil is produced by steam distillation and is a pale yellow to amber-colored liquid, with a slight blue fluorescence and a characteristic sweet, spicy-bitter odor of orange blossom. 

The species Cit us aurantium produces different essential oils depending upon which part of the plant is used. Expression of the outer peel of the almost ripe citrus fruit produces the Bitter orange essential oil, steam distillation of leaves and twigs produces Petitgrain, while steam distillation of the freshly picked flower produces Neroli or orange blossom essential oil. 

Methyl anthranilate occurs in oil of orange blossoms (neroli oil), oil of orange peel, and in the essential oil of jasmine flowers, and is extensively used in perfumery. 

Two species are found in Madeira. Jasmmum odoratissvmum bears yellow flowers, which retain when dry the natural perfume suggestive of a mixture of jasmine, jonquil, and orange blossom. 

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