Hyacinthus orientalis
FAMILY: Liliaceae
SYNONYMS: Scilla nutans, bluebell.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A much loved cultivated plant with fragrant, bell-shaped flowers of many colours, bright lance-shaped leaves and a round bulb.
DISTRIBUTION: Native to Asia Minor, said to be of Syrian origin. Cultivated mainly in Holland and southern France.
OTHER SPECIES: Closely related to garlic (Allium sativum), onion (A. cepa) and the wild bluebell (H. non scriptus). At one time bluebell essential oil was produced at Grasse in the south of France, which had a fresher and more flowery fragrance.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: The wild bluebell bulbs are poisonous; however, the white juice used to be employed as a substitute for starch or glue. ‘The roots, dried and powdered, are balsamic, having some styptic properties that have not fully been investigated.’.
ACTIONS: Antiseptic, balsamic, hypnotic, sedative, styptic.
EXTRACTION: Concrete and absolute by solvent extraction from the flowers. (An essential oil is also obtained by steam distillation from the absolute.)
CHARACTERISTICS: A reddish or greeny brown viscous liquid with a sweet-green, floral fragrance and soft floral undertone. It blends well with narcissus, violet, ylang ylang, styrax, galbanum, jasmine, neroli and with oriental-type bases.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Phenylethyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, benzoic acid, benzyl acetate, benzyl benzoate, eugenol, methyl eugenol and hydroquinone, among others.
SAFETY DATA: No safety data available at present. Most commercial hyacinth is nowadays adulterated or synthetic.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE NERVOUS SYSTEM: The Greeks described the fragrance of hyacinth as being refreshing and invigorating to a tired mind. It may also be used for stress-related conditions, ‘in self-hypnosis techniques … and developing the creative right-hand side of the brain’..
OTHER USES: Used in high class perfumery, especially oriental floral types.... hyacinth
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