Davana EO
Naturelle
Fruity > Yellow Fruits > Spicy > Balsamic > Boozy
Crédits photo: ScenTree SAS
Latin name :
Artemisia pallens
Botanical profile :
Davana is a plant of the Asteraceae family (like absinthe, wormwood or tarragon, as evidenced by the shape of its leaves), and of the genus Artemisia.
Geographic origin :
Originally from India (Mysore), davana is still cultivated there today
Chemotypes :
The genus Artemisia includes other fragrant plants such as tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus), absinthe (Artemisia absinthium) and wormwood (Artemisia vulgaris). All have a fairly green and aromatic smell but differs in an aniseed note for tarragon, camphor for absinthe, terpenic for mugwort and fruity for davana.
Extraction process :
The propagation of a davana culture is done by sowing seeds. These are often mixed with sand and kept moist in small bags for 48 hours before they are sown on a pre-fertilized soil. The crop is made in rows and the plants are planted a few centimetres apart.
After four months of ripening, the crop take place in late summer, when the flowers bloom fully. The plants are carefully cut by hand with a sickle and dried for a week before they are distilled. After grinding the leaves, steam distillation is carried out for 10 to 15 hours. At the end of the process, the essential oil is collected by decantation of the water. To help separate the two phases in exit of column, salt water is often added to the mixture.
The extraction yield does not exceed 0.2% in correspondence to a yield of 12 to 13 kg of essential oil per hectare cultivated.
After four months of ripening, the crop take place in late summer, when the flowers bloom fully. The plants are carefully cut by hand with a sickle and dried for a week before they are distilled. After grinding the leaves, steam distillation is carried out for 10 to 15 hours. At the end of the process, the essential oil is collected by decantation of the water. To help separate the two phases in exit of column, salt water is often added to the mixture.
The extraction yield does not exceed 0.2% in correspondence to a yield of 12 to 13 kg of essential oil per hectare cultivated.
Major Components :
cis and trans-Davanone (≈38% cis et ≈5% trans)
Nerol (≈10%)
Geraniol (≈5%)
Hydroxydavanone (≈4%)
Isodavanone (≈3%)
Nerol (≈10%)
Geraniol (≈5%)
Hydroxydavanone (≈4%)
Isodavanone (≈3%)
- Uses in perfumery :
- Used in fine fragrance for amber, fruity and floral notes (jasmine or tuberose). Mostly used in men's fragrances.
- Other comments :
- The Davana grows very regularly at the foot of santals. This is why it is grown mainly in India where it is also used to make garlands and bouquets.
The botanical name ''pallens '' refers to its foliage, often grey.
The quality of a Davana essential oil is measured by its amount of Davanone : a high quality oil contains more than 50%, although a rate of about 45% of Davanone is generally more common.
Surprisingly, the major component of the essential oil, cis-davanone, has no smell. The power of the essential oil smell comes mainly from the presence of ethers such as furans, dihydrofurans and dihydrorosefurans, among others. However, all these compounds are present at less than 2.5% in the essential oil.
From 2008, the quality of the production of Davana essential oil dropped due to the increasing demand and climatic conditions difficulting the growth in India. Therefore, essential oils contains less Davanone.
Curiously, the quantity of davana essential oil exported in 2009 doubled, causing an upward trend in the number of crops and lower prices. In addition, the cultivation of davana does not require the use of synthetic products and cultures do not carry disease. Irrigation is an additional source of costs for farmers and represents 20% of the total cultivation cost. For this reason, several rainwater recycling projects are being developed. - Volatility :
- Heart
- Appearance :
- Yellow to orange liquid
- Stability :
- The terpenes identified in this raw material can polymerize when they are oxidized
- Price Range :
- €€€€
- Aromatherapy :
Informations provided below are taken from reference works in aromatherapy. They are given for information purposes only and can not constitute medical information, nor engage the responsibility of ScenTree.
Davana is used in traditional medicine as a treatment against diabetes, helping to reduce the level of glucose in the blood.
Crédits photo: ScenTree SAS
- EINECS number :
- 616-970-9
- FEMA number :
- 2359
- Allergens :
- Geraniol - Linalool
- IFRA :
- This ingredient is not restricted
To learn more about IFRA's standards : https://ifrafragrance.org/safe-use/library
ScenTree is solely responsible for the information provided here.
