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Rose Oil is Very Expensive for a Reason!
It is said that somewhere in Persia, a canal was filled with Rose Water for a wedding couple to sail their boat. The heat of the sun caused the rose water to seperate: the seperation of oil from water.
The oil that was skimmed from the canal was later found to have an exquisite perfume and so the manufacture of Otto of Roses begun. Rose Oil or Rose Essence or Otto of Roses was discovered about 1582-1612, long after Rose Water was being manufactured.
Persia had large scale distilleries by the end of the 1600's and export to India was underway by 1683. Today there is only local production in both these areas.
Rose Oil production was introduced into Europe in about 1690, probably through Bulgaria. The Grasse district of southern France was producing quantities of delicate rose water at this time and so was able to start making oil quite quickly.
The process requires vast amounts of Roses.
In Grasse, 5000 rose bushes/trees grow on 1/2 acre of land and produce 2200 lbs of Roses. For 1 lb of oil you would need about 10 000 lbs of Roses.
Or to put it more simply, you need approximately 30 roses to make 1 drop of Rose Oil or 60 000 roses to make 1 oz. Not something you can do easily for yourself!
The extracted oil is a light yellow in color, often with a slight green tinge to it. It's actually about 30% Citronellol and about 75% Geraniol and it's virtually impossible to make it artificially: you need the roses!
So if and when you buy rose-oil check the quality and source very carefully. And consider the price: 60 000 Roses to make 1 oz: it's expensive for a reason!
Rose Oil has various uses of course,including expensive perfumes.
You may want to take a look at these websites as well--> Dig Around: Roses for Rose-Oil? Check the Grades of various roses here. Dig Around #2: Discover the New Zealand Rose Society
We never promised you a Rose Garden.... Return to Home Page from Rose Oil
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Rose Oil has quite a history.
