Rosewood oil is a pale yellow oil with a floral-woody aroma, derived from the wood of the Pau-rosa tree (Aniba rosodora, also known as Brazillian Rosewood).

Aniba rosodora is a flowering tree in the laurel family (Lauraceaea) found in tropical rainforest regions of Brazil and South America. These trees grow on lowland and medium elevations to around 20 meters tall, with red leaves, purple fruit and vibrant pink heartwood. Pau-rosas are highly fragrant, and the harvested wood can be chipped and then steam-distilled to produce Rosewood oil. The essential oil's high linalool content (an aromatic chemical popular in many fragrances) and low yield (total oil is around 1% of the weight of the harvested wood), makes it a valuable oil in perfumery.

Incresed demand for essential oil coupled with destructive harvesting practices has led to a decline in Aniba rosodora populations, which are mostly sourced from the wild. It is listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List (2020).

Botanical name: Aniba rosodora

Other names: Bois de Rose Oil, Rosewood Oil, Brazillian Rosewood Oil, Rosewood Wood Oil, Aniba Rosaeodora Oil, Aniba Rosaeodora var. Amazonia Oil Brazil

Main constituents: Linalool, alpha-Terpineol, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate

REFERENCES

Maia, José Guilherme S., Andrade, Eloisa Helena A., Couto, Hilma Alessandra R., Silva, Ana Carla M. da, Marx, Friedhelm, & Henke, Christoph. (2007). Plant sources of amazon rosewood oil. Química Nova, 30(8), 1906-1910. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-40422007000800021

Varty, N. 1998. Aniba rosodora. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1998: e.T33958A68966060. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T33958A68966060.en.