Eugenia Essentials

Neroli, the Princess’ Favorite

The time is not far off when the air in Central Florida will be heavy with the intoxicating sweet scent of orange blossoms. One of the most fragrant is the bitter orange blossom. The bitter orange tree yields three distinct oils, one from the blossoms: Neroli; the rind of the fruit: bitter orange; and the [...]

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The Magi’s Gifts-Part Two: Myrrh

The story of the Magi has always fascinated me. Who were they and where did they really come from? There is much controversy about the origins of the Magi, whose names we have commonly accepted today as Melchior, Balthazar and Caspar.

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The Magi’s Gifts-Part One: Frankincense

As Christmas approaches I started thinking about two of the gifts presented to the baby Jesus by the Magi: Frankincense and Myrrh. When I was a child, I always wondered what these two mysterious gifts were and why would anyone give these to a baby?  Frankincense has been revered since biblical times and was a [...]

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Palmarosa, a splendorous grass

I love the Latin name of Palmarosa: Cymbogon martini! It sounds like a happy hour cocktail that Bilbo Baggins might order down at the local Shire pub. While definitely not a drink, the essential oil of this lemon grass species has a lot to make you smile.

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Ylang ylang (Cananga odorata)

While Jasmine and Rose are often referred to as the King and Queen of flowers, Ylang ylang should be called the Princess and an exotic one at that!  The blossoms yellow with long petals come from the cananga tree, native to the South Pacific, which can grow to over 60 feet. The essential oil is obtained [...]

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