Palmarosa

You may know palmarosa best from its use in verbena teas - the flat leaves of this dense grass produce a powerful lemony odour when rubbed, making its relation to citronella and lemongrass clear. Palmarosa grows wild in the Himalayas and in the Radjmahal Mountains on India’s Afghan border, where it is harvested by indigenous tribes. The grasses are then dried for a week to increase the essential oil yield before undergoing steam distillation. The oil is powerful and herbaceous, with a strong rosy note that lends it the ‘rosa’ half of its name. Though sometimes used as a cheaper substitute for rose oil, at Ffern we use it to complement our rose oils, bringing a clean, wild edge to the accord.