Artemisia afra (Lanyana)

Artemisia afra is sometimes sold as African wormwood and taken as a stand-in for Artemisia absinthium. They are separate species within a large genus, and their oils are not substitutes for one another in a formula. A. afra is African in range; A. absinthium is Eurasian.

01 · Origin

A tall, silver-grey aromatic shrub of the daisy family, Asteraceae, widespread across the highlands of southern and eastern Africa. This oil is distilled in South Africa from the flowering tops and aerial parts of wild-crafted plants.

02 · Chemistry

Alpha- and beta-thujone lead the profile, with 1,8-cineole and camphor alongside. Ketone and oxide together account for the sharp, penetrating character of the oil. Thujone content places it among the materials handled with particular restraint in formulation.

03 · In Practice

Sweet, resinous and camphoraceous, with a bitter herbal edge. A top-to-middle note. Used at low concentration in diffusion blends and in olfactory study of the genus. Blends with lavender, rosemary, cedarwood, juniper, cypress and pine.

General information: For external use only. Dilute before applying to skin. Keep away from heat and sunlight. Keep out of reach of children. Avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes.