Which botanical species does this litsea cubeba oil come from, and where is it grown?
This litsea cubeba oil (product code TPS-RO-009) is steam-distilled from the fresh ripe berries of Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers., a shrubby tree of the Lauraceae (laurel) family known in China as 山苍子 (Shan Cang Zi), 木姜子 (Mu Jiang Zi), 山胡椒 (Shan Hu Jiao) and internationally as May Chang. The berries are wild-harvested and cultivated mainly in the mountainous areas of southern China.
Species & Origin
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. |
| Family | Lauraceae |
| Part used | Fresh ripe berries (fruits) |
| Product code | TPS-RO-009 |
| Main origins | Jiangxi (Jishui county is the core area, ~45% of world output), Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan, Guangxi, Fujian |
| Common names | 山苍子油 / May Chang / Mountain Pepper / Mu Jiang Zi / 山鸡椒果油 |
| Global position | China supplies >85% of the world's natural citral, mostly from Litsea cubeba |
- The berries are one of the richest natural sources of citral (typically 68-80%), which is why the oil is called 「more lemon than lemon」
- The oil is a berry distillate with a fruity-floral lemon character — chemically different from cold-pressed lemon peel oil (D-limonene type) and lemongrass oil (grass distillate)
- Harvest runs once a year in late summer (July-September) when the berries reach full ripeness and the citral level peaks
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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.
