Eastern red cedar oil, also known as Virginia cedarwood oil, is a pale yellow essential oil with a potent woody-cedar aroma derived from the wood, leaves and fruit of the eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana). We use this ingredient as a fragrance component in some of our products.

Juniperus virginiana is a species of juniper found in much of central and eastern North America. These coniferous trees grow 20 - 30 meters tall, with reddish-brown bark, and produce purple berry-like seed cones known as ‘juniper berries’. Juniperus virginiana is an important tree in Native American traditional medicine, with the berries and leaves used in infusions and ointments to treat ailments. The trees have light, durable, aromatic heartwood which acts as a natural moth deterrent and is valued for building clothes chests and closets. The wood, bark, leaves and berries of the tree can be steam distilled to produce the essential oil, which can be used in pharmaceuticals, insect-deterrents and fragrances.

Botanical name: Juniperus virginiana

Other names: Cedarwood Oil Virginia, Juniperus Virginiana Fruit/Leaf Oil, Cedar Fruit/Leaf Oil

Chemical class: Essential Oils and Waters

Main constituents: (Leaf Oil) Sabinene, Limonene, alpha-Pinene, gamma-Terpinene, Terpinolene, 3-Carene, Myrcene, 4-Terpinenol, Citronellol

REFERENCES

Elif, Semen & Hiziroglu, Salim. (2005). Production, Yield and Derivatives of Volatile Oils from Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus Virginiana L.). American Journal of Environmental Sciences. 1. 10.3844/ajessp.2005.133.138.

Chelsey D. Stewart, Chelsea D. Jones, William N. Setzer. Essential oil compositions of Juniperus virginiana and Pinus virginiana, two important trees in Cherokee traditional medicine. Am J Essent Oil Nat Prod 2014;2(2):17-24.

Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2021-11-18. temperate.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Juniperus+virginiana

TGSC Information System (2021). Juniperus virginiana oil. Retrieved on November 19, 2021 from http://www.thegoodscentscompany.com/data/es1744341.html