Bergamot

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Bergamot (lat. Citrus bergamia) - a fruit crop from the Rutaceae family, which was the result of crossing a citron with an orange.

Description

Bergamot is a very successful hybrid of citron and orange, named after Bergamo, the Italian town where it was once cultivated.

Bergamot is an evergreen fruit tree, the height of which rarely exceeds ten meters, and in the conditions of plantations, the average height of these trees is about two meters - it is much easier to care for low trees, and it is much easier to pick fruits from them. That is why they try to restrain the growth of trees planted on plantations by cutting off the upper branches.

All tree branches are covered with sharp, thin and incredibly long thorns, the length of which can reach ten centimeters. The alternate leathery and wavy leaves of bergamot are attached to the branches with petioles. All of them are equipped with pointed tops, jagged edges and have an elliptical or ovoid-oblong shape. And the upper parts of the leaves are colored in darker tones and are characterized by a more pronounced shine than their lower parts.

Approximately in the middle of spring, spectacular bergamot trees begin to bloom with incredibly fragrant and fairly large flowers, located singly or in the form of spectacular bunches of several pieces in each. As for the color of the flowers, it can be either purple or white.

Bergamot fruits, covered with a thick skin consisting of three layers, are characterized by a pear-shaped or spherical shape. And their taste is sour and not disgusting, however, despite this, bergamot is still considered an inedible fruit. Several relatively small seeds can be found in the middle of the pulp. As a rule, fruits ripen at the end of autumn or at the beginning of winter.

Where grows

Despite the fact that the cultivation of bergamot began in Bergamo, Southeast Asia is the birthplace of this interesting culture. Minor plantings of bergamot can be found in the United States (to be more precise, in the state of Georgia), and in Brazil or Argentina.

Application

Bergamot is prized mainly for its oil, which is obtained from both its flowers with leaves and the rind. This oil is characterized by a bitter taste and a surprisingly pleasant and delicate balsamic aroma.

Bergamot essential oil is appreciated not only in perfumery, but also in the food industry - it makes an excellent flavoring agent for tea. And bergamot tea boasts very unusual properties - if you drink it regularly, it will contribute not only to a significant improvement in your mental state, but also to get rid of freckles or age spots.

Bergamot oil is especially widely used in aromatherapy and cosmetology. In aromatherapy, it is actively used to improve digestion, normalize blood pressure and get rid of depression or vegetative-vascular dystonia.

Quite often, bergamot oil is also used to treat all kinds of ulcers, wounds, burns, eczema, various insect bites and psoriasis. It will also serve well for various ailments of the genitourinary system. In addition, this oil has a pronounced antiviral and tonic effect, and is also a rather powerful aphrodisiac.

And cosmetics, which contain bergamot oil, effectively relieve redness and itching, significantly reduce sebum secretion, perfectly narrow pores and make the skin healthy and velvety.

Contraindications

Since bergamot is a citrus crop, eating its fruit or peel for food can lead to allergic reactions, which can manifest itself in the form of headaches, as well as feelings of nausea, or weakness. In some cases, dizziness or skin rashes may appear. And women are not advised to consume bergamot during pregnancy or on the eve of menstruation - this can cause uterine contractions, resulting in premature periods or, even worse, miscarriage.

As for bergamot oil, it is categorically not recommended to apply it to the skin before going to sunbathe - painful sunburns may appear in the places where it is applied.