Steam distillation of essential oils

[dave45]

Does anyone have any experience in this?
I decided to have a go with orange peel to try and distil orange oil.... I understood that in the distillate the oil would float on the water, and you pour it carefully off. Can't see anything floating... I can smell it though !

[doofaloofa]

I worked on a lemon balm farm and helped load the cut herb into the boiler

It was my understanding that the oils evaporated and were condensed like you see in a whiskey still

[Green Aura]

Citrus essential oils aren't made by steam distillation - in fact they aren't true essential oils. They are made from a "concrete" and contain wax, which is why they are pretty much the only oils that have a really short shelf lie - about 12 months.

Doofaloofa - Melissa is one of the hardest essential oils to obtain. The plants give up such a small amount they're processed several times - hence true Melissa EO costing about £70 for 5ml!

Could you both try something desperate to give up its oil, like lavender or pine.

[doofaloofa]

Doofaloofa - Melissa is one of the hardest essential oils to obtain. The plants give up such a small amount they're processed several times - hence true Melissa EO costing about £70 for 5ml!

thats what they said

[dave45]

I was going to try lemon balm last year but never got around to it (I have loads growing in the garden)... My lavender plants all died !
I was trying orange peel as a warm-up / practice.

[doofaloofa]

They had about 10 acres, i think, and only got a small bottle of oil, as Green Aura remarked