How is this geranium oil extracted, and which method is preferred?
Geranium oil is obtained by steam distillation of the whole above-ground plant — fresh leaves, young stems and flowering tops. The process is chosen to protect the delicate rosy-minty esters and alcohols that define the oil.
Extraction Method
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Harvest | Full-bloom season (May-July / Oct-Dec), whole plant cut into 2-5 cm pieces |
| Distillation | Direct steam at 100-105°C, 0.15-0.2 MPa, 3-5 hours in stainless-steel stills |
| Condensation | Shell-and-tube condenser, distillate cooled to 25-35°C |
| Separation | Florentine flask oil-water separation; hydrosol recycled (recover water-soluble alcohols, +~0.03% yield) |
| Refining | Freezing dehydration (-5~0°C, 24 h) then 0.22 μm filtration |
| Yield | 0.10-0.30% (kg oil per 100 kg fresh plant) |
- Cut size matters: 2-5 cm pieces balance yield against terpene losses; over-chopping loses volatiles
- Distillation beyond 6 hours raises heavy-boiling impurities — run time is tightly controlled
- For food-grade (FCC 12) lots, a vacuum fractional distillation step enriches the tiglate esters to the 13-29.5% range
- The oil is never solvent-extracted; only physical steam distillation and fractionation are used
- Extraction method and yield are declared on the batch COA
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This article was published on 2026-09-07, and last updated on 2026-09-07. The article will be continuously updated.
