1

WEL COME

University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot

Kittur Rani Channamma College of Horticulture,Arabhavi

Extraction of Essential oil from Scented Geranium

By, Ravi. J. PujariI. D . No. UHS14PGD80

Presentation on

Scented geranium

Scientific Name: Pelargonium graveolens

Family : Geraniaceae

Origin: South Africa

Essential oil: Geraniol

History

• The first species of Pelargonium known to be cultivated was P. triste, a native of South Africa.

• The name Pelargonium was introduced by Johannes Burman  in 1738, from the Greek , pelargos (stork), because the seed head looks like a stork's beak.

• Algerian, Bourbon and Egyptian are three types which are cultivated in India.

• Bourbon gives the best quality of oil.

Distribution

World : China, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, India, Srilanka.

India: Karnataka, Andrapradesh, Tamilnadu, Uttaranchal.

The Plant

• It is a small, branched perennial aromatic herb of about 1.3 m in height, naturally forming a dense spreading bush.

• Stem is cylindrical, pubescent and woody at base.• Leaves are fragrant, mint scented 6.5 -13.5 cm• Inflorescence is axillaries with small umbels of 3-7

pink, rosy or pale purple flowers.• Fruit is long and pointed.• Economic part : Herbge

Uses

• Geranium oil well blends with all kinds of scents, floral and oriental bouquets and is extensively used in perfumery and cosmetic industries.

• It is widely used for scenting soaps due to its stability in alkaline medium.

Physico- chemical properties

• Essential oil composition: Geraniol 68- 75 % and citronellol 23-40%.

• Specific gravity : 0.888- 0.896• Optical rotation: -7 degrees 40 minutes - -13 degrees

50 minutes• Refractive index: 1.461- 1.468• Acid number: 1.5- 12

Harvesting

Maturity indicesAppearance of spars flowering.Lower leaves turn yellow.Leaves release rosy odour when pressed in between

fingers.

First harvest after 8 months of planting.

About four harvests in a year

Extraction and Distillation

Principle: Bringing of two mutually insoluble liquids into contact at a temperature very close to the boiling point of the more volatile liquids of two.

• Harvested herb is stacked for 12 to 24 hours, this results in slight fermentation and splitting up of the glycosides increases oil yield.

• Steam distillation is the best method which gives better quality oil.

• Distillation takes 3-4 hours• Quality and yield of oil are better if the crop is harvested at

right maturity stage.

Steam distillation unit

• In large scale distillation, oil recovery varies from 0.1- 0.15 %

• On fresh weight basis the average oil yield is 18-20 kg/ha

• Oil can stored in thoroughly clean, dry aluminum containers

• Oil should be filled upto the brim of containers• Rose like odour is likely to increase with the age

Geranium oil in market

References

Skaria, P. B., Joy, P. P., Mathew, S., Mathew, G., Joseph, A and Joseph, R., 2007, Aromatic plants, New India Publishing Agency.

Kumar, N., Introduction to Spices, Plantation Crops, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants.,2014, Oxford and IHB Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd