LEMON MYRTLE INFORMATION

Lemon Myrtle’s botanical name is Backhousia citriodora. ‘Citrio’ is latin for citrus and ‘dora’ is latin for odour. The Backhousia name comes from a 19th century Australian botanist, James Backhouse.

Plantations of Lemon Myrtle were established in the hinterland around Byron Bay in the mid 1990’s by independent farmers looking to diversify their farm income and grow something that is native to Australia.

Refreshed has selected the best variety of Lemon Myrtle grown in these plantations to ensure the highest grade and consistency of Lemon Myrtle essential oil.

The essential oil of Lemon Myrtle is extracted via steam distillation of the harvested leaf and is harvested all year round, ensuring year round supplies of fresh essential oil.

The essential oil of Lemon Myrtle contains well over 50 different chemical compounds. However the most significant oil compounds appears to be a number of types of Citral.

Lemon Myrtle is much higher in Citrals compared to other plant sources e.g. Lemon peel, Lemongrass, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Scented Eucalyptus however the mix of essential oils, appear to make Lemon Myrtle oil more striking and far more attractive than other lemon aromas. Lemon Myrtle essential oil typically contains around 50% geranial, around 40% neral, around 2% iso-geranial and a range of iso-citrals not found in other citrus/citral sources or found in only trace amounts.

Research by the Charles Sturt University (Wagga Wagga, New South Wales) has also demonstrated that the essential oil of Lemon Myrtle is more anti-bacterial and anti-fungal than that of Tea Tree oil. There have been a small number of doctors using the essential oil of Lemon Myrtle for treating conditions like tinea, eczema and other fungal skin conditions with success especially when chemical treatments are less preferred by patients.

“The essence of the rainforest”