Texas Goldenrod Oil

#### Goldenrod Oil, Texas. Well known over most parts of the world, The Americas, Asia and Europe, a multitude of varieties of **Goldenrod **grow wild or are cultivated, usually for decorative purposes. Similar to its relative, the chrysanthemum, it is a very rugged and strong, healthy plant, a fact which may explain the wide distribution of Goldenrod. To the author's knowledge, only one goldenrod has ever obtained any significant interest among the perfumers and flavorists: the so-called Texas Goldenrod, botanically known as **Solidago Odora**. By steam distillation of the flowering herb, an essential oil is produced in Texas, U.S.A. Oil of sweet goldenrod is a colorless, rather mobile liquid of sweet-spicy, aromatic-herbaceous odor, reminiscent of estragon (Tarragon). The odor is inferior to that of estragon in respect to sweetness, tenacity and delicate, green-foliage notes. The rather simple or homogeneous odor of goldenrod oil is probably the main reason why the oil has never become a "big item" on the perfumer's shelf. It does not present any significant advantage over estragon oil. or over the main constituent, methyl chavicol (estragole), and it has no fresh-green topnote, such as we find it in sweet basil oil. The author never saw a genuine sweet goldenrod oil while he worked in Europe. Sweet goldenrod oil would be of interest mainly for flavorists who could possibly use it as a modifier for anise, basil, estragon, etc. in candy and licorice flavors, "root-beer" flavors for soft drinks, etc. Suggested use level is 0.40 to 0.80 mg%, and the Minimum Perceptible is 0.08 to 0.15 mg%. The oil could find some use in perfumes of fougère type, chypre, l'origan, moss, etc., or in trace amounts in lilac, muguet, etc. The annual production of Texas sweet goldenrod oil is very fluctuating, and the oil is presently available only upon request with due notice. It is very likely that the oil will entirely disappear from the market.