Red Cedarwood

Common Name: Red Cedarwood

Botanical Name: Juniperus virginiana

Origin: Eastern United States

Appearance: Viscous, yellow to light amber

Aroma: Fresh, woody, balsamic

Red Cedarwood (Juniperus virginiana) or eastern red cedar is related to cypress trees, spruce trees, fir trees, pine trees, and juniper trees. Read more to find out how the cypress tree and cedarwood are associated. Atlas cedar and other cedar oil blends well with patchouli oil, rose oil, sandalwood essential oil, vetiver oil, and myrrh. Cedar oil balances rose otto, blends with rosemary oil for hair conditioning, and is used in natural cleaners, room deodorizing sprays, and natural perfumes.

Red cedarwood essential oil is steam distilled from a juniper, Juniperus virginiana, commonly called eastern red cedar. The prolific growth of this tree throughout the eastern United States is attributed to birds, which drop the seeds from the tree's fruit as they travel.

There are about 70 species of juniper trees, all members of the cupressaceae family. The cypress tree of France, Italy, and Spain yields cypress oil and is a member of this family, as is the thuja, which yields cedar leaf oil. True cedars like the Atlas cedar of Morocco and the famous cedar of Lebanon are members of the pinaceae family, which includes fir trees, pine trees, and spruce trees. In the winter, the Juniperus virginiana evergreen's dark olive green foliage turns rusty brown and produces purple, berry-like cones. The fresh foliage has a strange scent, but the scent of the wood is balsamic and richly sweet.

The name red cedarwood comes from the aromatic heartwood, used to make fragrant furniture and pencils. The essential oil is made from the sawdust and other milling by-products.

Red cedarwood essential oil is sometimes redistilled to remove natural components like cedrol that can form crystals, thickening the oil. Even though the crystals affect the appearance and fluidity of the oil, they are natural. Some aromatherapists prefer the complete once distilled oil containing all the therapeutic components. If crystals form, warming the bottle in a warm water bath or the palm of the hand usually dissolves the crystals or thickening back into solution.

This comparatively thick oil ranges in color from light yellow to amber. The scent is fresh-woody and mildly bland similar to sandalwood essential oil, but without sandalwood's rich, animal-balsamic fragrance. Because of the similar aroma, red cedarwood often is used to adulterate sandalwood. Even though rather lasting, red cedarwood's dryout note is a mundane mildly balsamic and woody aroma. Its ability to slow the evaporation in blends hardly interfering with the other oil scents in the blend, makes cedarwood particularly valuable. Cedarwood blends are used in natural cleaners, cosmetics, room deodorizing sprays, and perfumes.

Cedar oil subtlety balances the strong floral scent of rose otto and rose absolute with its woody aroma. Use this blend as a perfume by diluting 5 drops in one teaspoon of vegetable oil:

* 30 drops rose oil
* 20 drops cedar oil
* 20 drops myrrh
* 20 drops sandalwood essential oil
* 10 drops patchouli oil

Because red cedarwood oil is very astringent, it is great to treat oily hair. Mix 3 drops of cedar oil and 2 drops of rosemary oil in one teaspoon of olive oil. Massage into hair before shampooing.

Cedarwood's balsamic-woody scent produces feelings of inner strength and centeredness. It helps with anxiety, emotional stress, and feelings of powerlessness. Cedar oil combines well with patchouli oil, rose oil, sandalwood oil, and vetiver.

Caution: Cedar oil can cause skin irritation if used undiluted, but is relatively safe when diluted properly. It is not recommended for used in any form during pregnancy.