Atypical flowers (last part)
Broom flower
A shrub with fragrant, golden-yellow flowers that are poisonous. The broom bush originated in Europe and has been adopted in the United States, particularly in the rural areas of the American West. It grows wild throughout Europe but the one used in perfumery grows in Italy.
Broom absolute is extracted from the concrete by washing the flowers with volatile solvents and alcohol. Broom has diuretic properties. It can also be hallucinogenic. In perfumery, it is used in floral, chypre and oriental notes. It brings a natural and rich character to perfumes.
Legend has it that in 1128, Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou and Maine, was riding on a moor near the town of Le Mans, when he saw a unicorn with a woman's head and a golden cloak in the middle of a field of broom. Moved by this apparition, he chose to make this plant his emblem and to plant it on his land, hence the origin of the nickname "Plantagenet".
Olfactory description: fruity, bitter, orange blossom, lime blossom, honey, tobacco.
Magnolia
The magnolia belongs to the Magnoliaceae family. It is a tree native to the Far East (Japan, China), Central Asia (Himalayas), North America (southern United States) and Central America that has been widely acclimatised in Europe.
The name magnolia was given to it in the 17th century by Brother Charles Plumier (1646-1704) in honour of Pierre Magnol (1638-1715), a French physician and botanist who was director of the botanical garden in Montpellier. Another hypothesis is that it was Carl von Linné who created the word Magnolia, also in honour of Pierre Magnol.
It has pink, white or cream flowers that have a delicate tulip or star shape. The magnolia grandiflora is one of the many fragrant varieties of this family of flowering trees. Magnolia is used in fine perfumery. It has a sweet floral fragrance with vanilla and lemon accents. The fragrance of magnolia can be reproduced in the laboratory by the perfumer. But it is also possible to extract a perfumed essential oil from certain varieties such as the magnolia Michelia alba.
The magnolia flower is used in L'Instant de Guerlain. There are two products: magnolia leaf and magnolia flower from southern China: LMR/IFF.
Olfactory description: floral, vanilla, lemon, sweet.
Gardenia
The gardenia is a small shrub with very fragrant white flowers. Origin: China, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, India, California.
The gardenia absolute obtained from the extraction of the flower is not at all faithful to the smell of the flower in its natural state. It is simply used to isolate the styrallyl acetate: green rhubarb note. In perfumery, we use gardenia reconstitutions whose main constituents are: white flower accord, green notes and molecules called tyglates (mushroom note).
Guerlain perfumes that illustrate this raw material: Cruel Gardénia (Art et la Matière collection), Chant d'arômes and Jardins de Bagatelle.
Olfactory description: floral, white flower, opulent, green, fruity, slightly mushroomy.
Osmanthus
The name osmanthus comes from the Greek and means "fragrant flowers". This plant comes from southern China and is highly prized for its fruity apricot and peach aroma. It is particularly popular as an additive in teas and other such beverages. Osmanthus flowers range in colour from silvery white (Osmanthus fragrans Lour. var. latifolius Mak.) to golden orange (Osmanthus fragrans Lour. var. thunbergii Mak.) to red (Osmanthus fragrans Lour. var. aurantiacus Mak.).
They are usually preserved in brine and therefore take on a very characteristic leathery note. I had the chance to smell an osmanthus, processed just after picking, so the smell was less leathery. I found it even more interesting.
The orange osmanthus is processed in perfumery. The flowers are processed by extraction with volatile solvents to obtain concrete. The concrete is then washed with alcohol to obtain osmanthus absolute. The flowers are used as a cough suppressant. They are also used in cosmetics for hair and skin, but in general they are used to mask the unpleasant taste of other medicinal plants. The bark and roots of the plant are also used in the treatment of chronic coughs, retinitis, dysmenorrhoea, rheumatism and wounds. The essential oil obtained from the flowers is used as an insect repellent. The flowers can also be used for these purposes by placing them in clothing. It is said to reduce stress and induce a good mood.
Olfactory description: floral, white flower, fruity, apricot, leather, violet.
Pittosporum
Pittosporum is native to Australia, South Africa and SouthEast Asia. It is a small tree with beautiful evergreen foliage and white and greenish flowers. There are about 200 species that thrive by the sea in a mild climate. Flowering takes place in April and May.
The scent of the flower is voluptuous and leaves a trail between orange blossom and jasmine. In the south of France, Pittosporum hedges are very common. It is impossible to have a specific species or an absolute. There are therefore reconstructions. Depending on the sensitivity and talent of the perfumer, the result will be very different.
Olfactory description: floral, orange blossom, jasmine, animal.
To visit: the Mortola or Handbury botanical garden is located at about 4 km from Menton, on the Italian side: a park of 18 hectares, half of which is occupied by Mediterranean flora and the other half devoted to exotic plants. Also worth seeing is the Villa Orengo, a 16th century palace.
Mahonia
Mahonia is native to America and Asia, an evergreen shrub with holly-like, slightly prickly leaves. Height from 2 to 4 m, flowers are yellow and very decorative clusters of purple to black fruits, which turn red in winter. Blooms from November to March, depending on the species. Can only be used in perfumery as a reproduction.
Olfactory description: spreads a light cloud of honey, lily of the valley and narcissus around it.
The list of these less known flowers is far from complete. Before concluding, two words on the Karo Karoundé which smells a bit like narcissus, very green, quite leathery, animal. A flower I will certainly talk about one day.
Sylvaine Delacourte perfumes
Discover Sylvaine Delacourte's brand with her Orange Blossom, Musk and Vanilla Collections. You can try them thanks to the Discovery Boxes (5 Eaux de Parfum x 2 ml) and rediscover these raw materials as you have never smelled them before.