Zingiber officinalis, Root, Steam Distilled from the dried rhizome.

Aroma: Ginger Root has a warm, spicy, earthy, fresh-woody scent with a hint of lemon and pepper, very similar to the powdered spice. This top quality ginger has deeper, warmer and spicier notes, and fruity top note. The sweet and heavy undertone is tenacious, rich, almost balsamic-floral.

History: The plant is said to originate from India, China and Java, but is also native to Africa and the West Indies. It is believed that Ginger was brought to Europe between the 10th and 15th century as both a condiment and spice. It has been used for medicinal purposes since the ancient times; it is recorded specifically in both Sanskrit and Chinese texts. It is also mentioned in literature from the Greeks, Romans, and Arabians.

Common Uses: Ginger oil is traditionally helpful for colds and flu, nausea (motion sickness, morning sickness) muscle aches (particularly the back), circulation issues and arthritic pain. It also has warming properties that help to combat loneliness, and depression. Ginger is also viewed as an aphrodisiac based on its grounding and energizing
properties.

Possible Uses: Aching muscles, arthritis, nausea, poor circulation. [Julia Lawless, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1995), 60-64.]

Constituents: a-pinene, camphene, B-pinene, 1,8-cineole, linalool, borneol, y-terpineol, nerol, neral, geraniol, geranial, geranyl acetate, B-bisabolene, zingiberene. [B. Lawrence, "Ginger Oil," Perfumer & Flavorist, February/March 1982, 30, cited in Salvatore Battaglia, The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy (Australia: The Perfect Potion, 1997), 167.]

Contents: α-Zingibarene: @38%: (a & b)-zingiberenes, (+)-ar-curcumene, ß-sesquiphellandrene, ß-bisabolène.

Colour: Light Yellow

Consistency: Light

Note: Middle-Base

Strength of Aroma: Medium to Strong

Safety Information: Slightly photo toxic. [Julia Lawless, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1995), 236.] Do not use if the area of application will be exposed to sunlight for 24 hours.

Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand does not indicate any special precautions when using this oil. [Robert Tisserand, Essential Oil Safety (United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone, 1995), 206.]

Cautions: Ginger can irritate sensitive skin. Avoid sun on exposed skin after applying.

Photo thanks to Burdigo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons