What is bergamot?

Bergamot is a plant that produces a type of citrus fruit . Oil taken from the peel of the fruit is used to make medicine. Some people treat a skin condition called psoriasis by applying bergamot oil directly to the skin and then shining long-wave ultraviolet (UV) light on the affected area.

Common throughout the Mediterranean, the fruit is the size of an orange, yet similar in color to a lime, or even yellowish, depending on the ripeness. Unlike other citrus fruits, bergamot has a distinctive, heady fragrance and flavor . It is highly aromatic, and the essential oils are extracted from the rind.

One idea is that bergamot (Citrus bergamia) is a type of citrus fruit native to Italy. Essential oils from the peel and the extract from the juice are used to make medicine. Bergamot oil has several active chemicals and is commonly used as aromatherapy.

One source claimed the bergamot orange is unrelated to the herbs known as bergamot or wild bergamot, Monarda didyma and Monarda fistulosa, which are in the mint family, and are named for their similar aroma. Citrus bergamia has also been classified as Citrus aurantium subsp. Bergamia (i. e. a subspecies of bitter orange).

What kind of fruit is a bergamot?

Citrus bergamia, the bergamot orange (pronounced /ˈbɜːrɡəˌmɒt/), is a fragrant citrus fruit the size of an orange, with a yellow or green color similar to a lime, depending on ripeness. Genetic research into the ancestral origins of extant citrus cultivars found bergamot orange to be a probable hybrid of lemon and bitter orange.

A bergamot orange from Calabria, Italy. Production is mostly limited to the Ionian Sea coastal areas of the province of Reggio di Calabria in Italy, to such an extent that it is a symbol of the entire city. Most of the bergamot comes from a short stretch of land there, where the temperature is favourable.

Where is bergamot tea from?

Since it received its nickname from the British prime minister Earl Grey, bergamot tea is often considered English. However, it’s native to Southeast Asia and widely cultivated in Southern Italy today. You can find bergamot tea in most grocery stores — with or without caffeine, additional ingredients, and other flavorings.

What is the history of bergamot essential oil?

Bergamot is a major component of the original Eau de Cologne composed by Farina at the beginning of the 18th century in Germany. The first record of bergamot oil as a fragrance ingredient was in 1714, to be found in the Farina Archive in Cologne. Bergamot essential oil is popular in aromatherapy.

Lets dig a little deeper. with a citrus-like fragrance and a distinctive spicy-floral quality, bergamot essential oil has quite a unique smell. Imagine wandering through a golden-lit citrus grove in southern Italy; perhaps that gives a sense of what makes bergamot such an evocative scent.