Tagetes Oil
Tagetes essential oil is extracted from leaves, stalks and flowers of Tagetes minuta plant. This plant variety is a member of the Compositae plant family. It is indigenous to Mexico and South America. Tagetes is also found growing in the wild in Asia, Europe, North America and Africa. It is also known as ‘Marigold’ and is often mistaken with Calendula which is the ‘true marigold’. This is mainly because of the yellowish to orange colored flowers resembling the ‘true marigold’. Tagetes plants generally grow up to a maximum height of 60 cm. It is an herbaceous annual plant bearing bright flowers that look like daisies. The leaves of this plant are soft and tender. These pale feathery leaves are deeply divided and the whole plant is attractive with plenty of orange colored flowers. Naturally the flowers and leaves of this plant have insect repellent properties that help in keeping away the harmful or disease spreading insects like mosquitoes and flies. The seeds and the roots of this plant have been proved to save the human body from poisons and severe wounds.
Tagetes oil is extracted from the leaves, stalks and flowers of the fresh or young flower bearing plants by steam distillation. The plant is set ready for oil extraction when the seeds begin to form. This essential oil has a fruity, wild, herbaceous, sweet, fresh and citrusy aroma. Tagetes oil is yellow to amber in color with an average viscosity that can turn the oil into a gel-like substance when exposed to air for a longer period of time. It blends well with lavender oil, myrrh oil, clary sage oil, tangerine oil, lemon oil and jasmine oil. The major producers of Tagetes oil are Egypt, France, Argentina and South Africa. Tagetes oil is very effective in the treatment of wounds, infections and certain respiratory problems.
Latin name: Tagetes minuta.
Alternative names: Mexican marigold, tagetette, Stinking Roger, Khaki weed, Tagetes glandulifera.
Tagetes plants grow well in sub-temperate and sub-tropical parts of the world. The vital source for essential oil is the Tagetes plants that are found growing in wild in the world famous Himalayas. The major chemical components of Tagetes oil are limonene, valeric acid, hydrocarbon ocimene, tagetone, ocimene and other monoterpene ketones like tagetones E&Z, dihydrotagetone and ocimenones E&Z. Tagetes oil has sedative, antiseptic, anti-infectious, insecticide, anti-microbial, anti-parasitic, antibiotic and anti-spasmodic properties.
Uses: Tagetes oil is a natural antiseptic that has excellent healing properties. It is proved to soothe bunions, cuts, wounds, calluses and few other skin infections. Tagetes oil is also used in the treatment of conjunctivitis, varicose veins, poor eyesight, menstrual irregularities, chest infections, hemorrhoids, whooping cough, catarrh, bronchi, colic and certain skin disorders. It is also used in perfumes and as a flavoring agent in tobaccos.
