Plant Essences & Origins
It may be hard to believe, but there are about 380,000 named plants on our planet!
However, only about one-tenth of those are known to have aromatic essences that humans want for fragrance, perfume, culinary spices, flavorings, and incense.
Because there are close to four-hundred thousand known plants, it’s easy to get lost in even a small collection of their names and attributes. Especially if our intention is to seek our own personal fragrance, one that’s made from a collection of aromatic plants.
Two ways to look at these plants and their aromas are provided here. The first is organized by origin and use. The second way focuses on the types of essences and fragrances they represent in the world of perfumes. You’ll find them listed by name and described by their aromatic properties.
Below, view the origin and use of an aroma from herbalism and perfumes on the page called The Aromas of Botanicals. Next, view the types of essences and fragrance and further details on their uses in blends in the page called Categories of Aromas.
Categories of Aromas from Plants
A Category indicates a scent or aroma type.
For example, the leaf of a citrus tree is steam-distilled to make the essence known as Petitgrain. As a leafy essential oil, it has an herbal scent. As you would expect, this oil is also fruity and sweet, blending well with other fruity and spicy scented essential oils.
Look at the Categories — Green, Herbal, Floral, Fruity, Spicy, Woody–Resinous, Cineolic
— and select one or more essences you love. Then begin your “aromantic” journey with botanical aromas that are trying to get your attention with their scent.
Choose a Category, a scent or aroma type on Aroma Blending Salon, here.
The Aromas of Botanicals
The Aromas of Botanicals are specific plant essences.
The Botanicals of Aromatherapy have been adored and worshipped since ancient times. It’s so true that humans have always admired and idolized the plants! Today we have two ways to devote our attention to the nature of plants. One is to apply perfumes, which may or may not be made of pure plant matter. But another is to obtain directly from nature, to connect with the essences themselves, finding common ground.
Look at the Botanicals, especially the Flowers, Leaves, Fruits, Resins, Seeds, Woods and Roots. Find the origins of the protective essences renowned in Aromatherapy, Perfumery, and the Cuisine Arts of all cultures.
Connect with ancient lineages that humans and plants share. Become familiar with aromatic plants, their habitats and ways humans include them in ritual and medicinal practices.
See the Botanical plants – illustrated by the Flowers, Leaves, Fruits, Resins, Seeds, Woods or Roots — on this page.