I have to admit, when I first started my journey into the world of Aromatherapy with Essential Oils, I quickly learned the importance of purchasing ONLY the oils with the Latin name listed on the bottle.
At the time I thought Lavender was Lavender…and that was my first mistake.
What I should have been looking for was Lavender Angustifolia.
Aromatherapy 101 Quick Explanation: You will find two names on your bottle of Essential Oil.
The first part of the Latin name is called the Genus – which is a group of plants that are closely related.
The second part of the name is the Species – which classifies different plants.
Two important reasons you will want to learn your Latin names:
1) Learning to know the differences between essential oils that may have more than one variety.
2) Without the all important Latin name you could end up with an oil that may have a drastically different benefit than your intended purpose.
Imagine purchasing Eucalyptus essential oil because you read that it’s been shown to help relieve symptoms for a cold, or sinus allergy.
Without the Latin name, you could end up with Eucalyptus Citriodora, a great choice if you were looking to repel mosquitoes, but probably not the best Eucalyptus essential oil for your cold or flu symptoms.
Eucalyptus Citriodora is an essential oil rich in citronellal, giving it a lemony fresh scent with a hint of camphor and rose.
It also has the ability to help discourage insects, bugs, and germs, and it literally shines in your natural cleaning blend.
For short term use the better choice would be Eucalyptus Globulos (known for its strength and a slight earthy scent), or Eucalyptus Radiata (slightly milder with a sweeter scent) and can be used for a longer period of time.
Both these oils support: Colds, Sinusitis, Flu, Bronchitis, Respiratory congestion, Infections (fungal, bacterial and viral), and Immune Support to name a few.
This is just one example of the importance of knowing which oil will work best for your intended result.
I chose Eucalyptus because this is one of my favorite “go to” Fall and Winter oils, and I will be doing a deeper dive into this popular oil in a future blog.
If you are new to essential oils this may seem like a lot of information and can sometimes become confusing.
THE ONE KEY TAKEAWAY – Remember that Latin names for your essential oil help you find the precise plant you are looking for.
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Until Next Time…
