Spruce essential oil
Element - Metal
Property - refreshing
Note - Head to heart
Group - Essential oil
Synonym - Siberian fir
Botanical name - Abies sibirica
Plant family - Pinaceae (pine family)
Contents
Botany
Botanical name
Abies sibirica
Plant family
Pinaceae (pine family)
The pine family (bot. Pinaceae) belongs to the order Coniferales (conifers). As vascular plants, the pines belong to the seed plants (Spermatophytina) within the Coniferopsida class. Pine plants usually present themselves as stately trees and are represented in some genera as shrubs. Pine plants have needle leaves. The needles of most Pinaceae species remain on the tree or shrub for several years and are evergreen.
Source: → Detailed information about the Pinaceae plant family - Hostmann Nursery
Origin & distribution
The natural distribution area of the spruce consists of three sub-areas. In Germany, the large-scale natural occurrence is only in the Alps. In the Harz Mountains, the Bavarian Forest and the Black Forest there are only isolated natural occurrences. Their current proportion in German forests is around 26 %. (Source: → wald.de)
Origin for the production of the oils
Russia
Plant part used
Spruce essential oil (also known as essential oils) is mainly produced from the branches.
Ingredients Spruce essential oil
- Monoterpenes: up to 63%
- Sesquiterpenes: bisabolene
- Monoterpenols: Borneol
- Diterpenols: Iso-abienol
- Ester: 15-40% Bornyl acetate, terpinyl acetate
Warnings
Internal use:
- Not for pregnant women, infants and small children
External application:
- Only very low concentrations in infants
- The oil may redden the skin
Background
For medicinal purposes, the oil is extracted from the twigs by steam distillation.
Due to its evergreen needles, the spruce (along with the fir) is a symbol of hope and is decorated as a Christmas tree in the living room at Christmas. It was also regarded as a tree of freedom after a victory and is still used today by carpenters at topping-out ceremonies.
If you would like to find out more about the myths and customs of spruce, you can find very interesting information here → Myths and customs - spruce.
Aroma
Grade
Perfumery counts spruce needle oils among the Top notes with transition to Heart note.
Top notes
The top note describes aromas that are perceived immediately after opening the container. The top note conveys the first and often the decisive impression of a fragrance composition. They are often citrusy, green, fresh and Airy fragrances. The volatile fragrance molecules that open the door to the next fragrance phases evaporate very quickly. Already 10 - 15 minutes After application, there is hardly anything left of the top note fragrance.
Heart note
The fragrance of the heart note only appears after the top note has evaporated and lasts for 2-3 hours.
After the top note has faded, around 15 minutes after applying an essential oil to the skin, the heart note follows. Its aromas gradually unfold together with the base notes. However, the heart note determines the character of the fragrance composition. The heart note describes flowery, fruity and herbaceous notes. The middle phase usually lasts two to three hours.
You can find more interesting information on this in the article "→ World of fragrances„.
Fragrance
fruity, green, woody, coniferous
Mixes well with...
Carrier oils
Possible carrier oils depend on several criteria such as skin type and effect. Below I list some neutral carrier oils that can be used well because they are odorless and generally well tolerated.
You can find a wider selection of carrier oils in the → Aromatrix
Body, mind & soul
In the Body, Mind & Soul section, a possible therapeutic use of essential oils is described. An attempt is made to make both the Western and the Eastern perspective transparent.
The Western approach can be found under Effect and use differentiated according to body and mind & soul. For comparison, the Eastern approach describes the chakras and functional areas.
As an Aromatrix+ reader, simply read on now...
Western approach
This section is written for the aroma therapy expert:
Effect
BODY
antiphlogistic, expectorant, deodorant, anti-inflammatory (respiratory tract), cough-relieving, immunostimulant, germicidal, strong antispasmodic, analgesic, tonic
Mind & Soul
Stimulating, balancing, concentration-enhancing, nerve-strengthening
Use
BODY
Arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, spasmodic inflammation of the small and large intestine, colds, fever, urinary tract inflammation, cough, muscle pain, rheumatism, tuberculosis
Mind & Soul
Anxiety, tension, breathing difficulties due to stress, general weakness
Eastern approach
This section is written for the TCM expert:
Spruce oil grounds a person in their physical body.
5 elements
Metal element
The essential oil of spruce is assigned to the element metal.
The element assignment of an essential oil is determined by the →Aroma profile and the direction of action. Spruce needle oil has both yin and yang components. It is used as Yin in Yang because inward movements are already present in the fragrance.
Chakras
Forehead chakra (6th chakra)
Spruce essential oil is associated with the brow chakra (6th chakra).
As an essential oil can have several properties, it can also be assigned to several chakras. In addition to the 6th chakra, spruce is also assigned to the 5th and 7th chakras.
A detailed explanation can be found in the following article: → Etheric oils & chakras
Functional areas
Qi deficiency
increases the guard Qi: fights infections, has an anti-inflammatory effect, tonifies and strengthens lung Qi, for colds, flu and infections
soothing general tonic: straightens the glands and bones, general asthenia, prostatitis, hyperthyroidism, weakness of the thymus, pituitary and adrenal glands, bone pain, arthritis, rheumatism, aching joints, sciatica, poor circulation
calms the mind: grounds the mind and has a balancing effect on the solar plexus
strengthens the psyche: Anxiety, stress, immunodepression
Main use:
pale, tired, exhausted, weak voice
Psycho-emotional representation:
hypersensitive, overanxious, antisocial, exaggerated need to correct injustice
Applications
Spruce needle oil - the air freshener
5 ELEMENTS APPLICATION
Spruce needle oil - the air freshener to support Element Metal.
Sources:
Icon by Olga from Noun Project (CC BY 3.0)
Texts are based on the following publications:
Pocket dictionary of aromatherapy by Dietrich Wabner, Verlag Systemisch Medizin, 2013
Aromatherapy with Chinese Medicine by Dennis Willmont, Willmountain Press, 2003
