Tagetes EO

Latin name :

Tagetes glandulifera

Botanical profile :

Tagetes is a flowering herb of the Asteraceae family (like Immortelle Absolute, Tarragon EO and Blue Chamomile EO), and of the genus Tagetes.

Geographic origin :

The Tagetes used in perfumery comes from diverse origins: most often from South Africa, it can also be found in Egypt, Nepal or Madagascar. Tagetes nevertheless finds its origin in Central America (Mexico).

Chemotypes :

The genus Tagetes contains about 30 species. Otherwise known as marigolds, the most cultivated tagetes are the following: Tagetes patula (Mexico, Guatemala), Tagetes argentina (Argentina), Tagetes bipinata, Tagetes minuta (widespread, with small white flowers), Tagetes filifolia (Mexico, Argentina), Tagetes tenuifolia (Mexico), Tagetes balsamita.
Finally, there is the erect tagetes (Tagetes erecta), harvested in Madagascar, at high altitude, and also used in perfumery.

Extraction process :

Tagetes grow rapidly in warm climates and at high altitudes. It can grow up to two metres in height. Usually, it is cultivated in fields at high altitudes in the countries where it is grown.
Their harvest is made from April to June, during the flowering of the plant, or a little after, because the flowers contain the essential oil of the plant. Harvesting is done manually, and requires to protect ones arms, because the stems of the plant secrete photosensitizing molecules. With a scythe, growers are cutting the flowers, avoiding cutting the leaves and too much of the stem.
Once harvesting is done, the flowers are distilled without waiting too long, to prevent them from drying out. They are extracted by steam distillation. This means that pressurised water vapour passes through the flowers to carry away their scent principle. At the top of the distillation column, the steam is refrigerated to separate the water from the essential oil in a Florentine vase by decanting.
Tagetes essential oil can be used to isolate the molecules called Tagetone or Dihydrotagetone, which are naturally present in the flower's olfactive principle.

Major Components :

Tagetone (40-50%)
Cis and Trans-Beta-Ocimene (30-40%)
Dihydrotagetones (≈13%)
Cis et Trans-Ocimenone (≈9%)
D-Limonene (≈3%)