Petitgrain

Petitgrain is some essential oils there are extracted from the leaves and twigs mainly of the bitter orange plant (Citrus aurantium var. amara) via steam distillation.

Production

Its main regions of production are Paraguay and France, with the former's product being of higher odour tenacity. Petitgrain oil (fr. little grain) gains its name from the fact that it used to be extracted from the small unripe oranges of the plant. The oil has a greenish woody orange smell that is widely used in perfumery and found in colognes.

Chemical composition

The main constituents of petitgrain oils are geraniol, geranyl acetate, linalool, linalyl acetate, myrcene, nerol, neryl acetate, and terpineol.

Use

In perfumery and aromatherapy as fresh-scented essential oils.