Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Myrtus
Species: communis
(i) General background on the plant
Myrtle should not be confused with wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera) or bog myrtle (Myrica gale) whose essential oils are toxic. Native to the Mediterranean region and western Asia and widely cultivated elsewhere as a garden plant, it is especially common Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, where large areas of wild shrubs are the basis for oil production. It is now commercially cultivated for the oil, which is produced mainly in North Africa, almost wholly for French markets. Very small quantities of oil are produced in Spain, France and Italy.
Myrtle is an evergreen shrub or small tree, 3-7 m tall and well branched. The branches are stiff and the young branches and twigs reddish. The flowers are fragrant and white or pinkish. The fruit is a round, reddish-blue to violet berry.
(ii) Details of quality characters
The plant’s leaves, flowers and fruit all contain an aromatic oil used in perfumery (Eau d’ Anges). The fruit is often made into a condiment or fermented to produce alcoholic drinks. The roots and bark are used for tanning the finest Russian Leather, which gives it a characteristic sweet scent.
Myrtle berry oil is not produced commercially, but myrtle berries are used in bitters and certain liqueurs. Berries contain the major volatile components a -pinene, 1, 8-cineole and limonene.
A constituent of myrtle oil is the unsaturated primary alcohol myrteriol, occurring as the acetate. The main components are normally a -pinene; 1, 8 - cineole and myrtenyl acetate (Lawrence, 1993).
(iii) Current production and yields
Leaves are harvested from late spring to early autumn, and distilled. The oil yield from a local still using unselected material is 0.25-0.55% but twice this when only fresh young leaves, flowering shoots and twiglets are used; these also yield the highest quality oil.
(iv) Constraints on production
(v) Markets and market potential
Myrtle leaf oil is used mainly as a flavouring and in alcoholic drinks. Myrtenol has a warm woody odour and is used in perfumery and toilet preparations.
(vi) Other Information
(vii) Contacts
(viii) References
Lawrence, B.M. (1993) Myrtle Oil. Perfum Flour 18(2), 52-55
Weiss, E.A. (1997) Essential Oil Crops CAB International Oxford.