(also referred to as...)
Bergamot BF
Latin Name: Citrus bergamia
Description
Citrus Bergamia is a small 4.5m high tree with smooth oval leaves. It belongs to the same family as the orange tree and is native to Morocco and tropical Asia. Bergamot is commercially grown on the Ivory Coast and is extensively cultivated in Calabria, Southern Italy. It was first cultivated around Bergamo, from where it takes its name.
The fruit has been used for hundreds of years in Italian folk medicine. It was historically unknown outside Italy and was not exported until recent times. The oil was primarily used for the treatment of fever and intestinal worms.
Bergamot oil is well documented in old herbal texts. Traditional uses include relieving anxiety and stress, supporting the nervous system, lifting melancholy, promoting sleep, and healing cold sores, psoriasis, and eczema. It was also used as an anti-viral agent and insect repellent.
The essential oil is obtained from the small, round, fruits that ripen from green to yellow. The oil is a light greenish yellow and has an uplifting citrus aroma with balsamic overtones. On aging, it turns a brownish olive colour.
Bergamot is a lovely green light citrus/floral note. It is fruity and warm, clear and fresh, and is often used by perfumeries as a top note. Bergamot is also used to flavour Earl Grey tea.
