Lemon Myrtle Essential Oil 10mL
Lemon Myrtle is distilled from the leaves of Backhousia citriodora, a rainforest tree from the New South Wales and Queensland border country. Its oil runs 87 to 95% citral, the compound responsible for lemon aroma. A cold-pressed lemon oil carries only around 2%. That gap is why one drop of this fills a room.
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Lemon Myrtle is steam distilled from the leaves of Backhousia citriodora, a rainforest tree in the Myrtaceae family alongside eucalyptus, tea tree and kunzea. It has been used as food and medicine by Aboriginal people for thousands of years, and it is now one of Australia's most recognised native flavours. Zea's is grown on Dainggatti, Gumbainggir and Bundjalung lands.
From bush to bottle
Backhousia citriodora is native to the subtropical rainforest of coastal New South Wales and southern Queensland. It is now widely grown on plantations across that same country, which is what makes consistent supply possible without cutting into remnant rainforest.
Only the leaves are taken. That is where the citral sits, and it sits there in extraordinary concentration. The trees are cut back to encourage dense leafy regrowth rather than height, which is why plantation Lemon Myrtle looks more like a hedge than a rainforest tree.
Steam lifts the volatile oil out of the leaf, and the two are condensed and separated. Every batch is GC/MS tested, and for this oil the number that matters most is the citral figure. Zea's specification runs 87 to 95%.
Citral is the molecule your nose reads as lemon. It is actually a pair of them, neral and geranial, and the ratio between them shapes how sweet or sharp the result smells. Lemon Myrtle carries citral at 87 to 95%, which is about as concentrated as citral gets in any commercially distilled plant.
A cold-pressed lemon oil, by contrast, is mostly limonene at around 70%, with citral at roughly 2%. Limonene smells of peel and zest rather than of lemon itself, and it oxidises quickly. So the two oils are not substitutes. Lemon Myrtle is the more intense and the more stable of the pair, and it is the reason a single drop is usually enough.
Quality and testing
Every batch is GC/MS tested and carries a certificate of analysis. The physical specifications shown are the supplier's published range for this oil; natural oils vary between batches, which is exactly why each one is tested rather than assumed.
Inside the bottle
Neral and geranial together. The lemon, and almost the whole oil.
A soft green-citrus note underneath the citral.
Present in trace amounts, adding a faint floral lift.
Trace terpenes that round out the top of the profile.
Typical ranges from the supplier's published specification, across batches rather than a single batch result. Percentages shift with season and harvest. Statements about individual constituents refer to published research on those constituents in isolation, not to an outcome from using this product.
Backhousia citriodora belongs to the subtropical rainforest of the New South Wales and Queensland coast, on Dainggatti, Gumbainggir and Bundjalung lands. It was a food and medicine plant long before it was an essential oil, and it is now one of the few Australian natives that people recognise by taste as readily as by smell.
Lemon Myrtle, Honey Myrtle and Lemon
| Lemon Myrtle | Honey Myrtle | Lemon | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botanical | Backhousia citriodora | Melaleuca teretifolia | Citrus limon |
| Citral content | 87 to 95% | 65 to 72% | Around 2% |
| Aroma | Intense, sherbet-sharp lemon | Sweet lemon with honey | Bright zesty peel |
| Character | Dominant, single-minded | Rounded, warm | Clean, simple |
| Extraction | Steam distilled leaf | Steam distilled leaf | Cold pressed peel |
| Native to Australia | Yes, NSW and QLD | Yes, WA only | No |
A botanical and aroma comparison to help you choose between oils. It is not a claim that one oil performs better than another.
Ways to use it
3 to 6 drops in a diffuser or oil burner. The simplest way in.
Lemon Myrtle blends with wood, mint and citrus oils. It is very strong, so lead with less than you think.
One or two drops in a carrier oil such as jojoba. Patch test first.
One drop inhaled from a tissue when you want the aroma on the move.
A few drops in water instead of a synthetic air freshener.
Well dispersed in a carrier or with bath salts, never neat on water.
A few drops in a homemade surface spray as a fresh deodoriser.
A few drops with water and white vinegar in a spray bottle.
Lemon Myrtle is a very high citral oil. Citral can sensitise skin, so keep skin dilution low and always patch test.
What customers tell us
★★★★★
“The lemon myrtle oil is such a fresh smell. Use it as a linen spray, put it into an oil burner or a few drops in my banksia pod. Excellent product, will re-order.”
Veronica C. · Verified buyer
★★★★★
“Just love the scent of Lemon Myrtle it is so uplifting - I add a drop or two to all my mixtures. Thank you Zea Relief.”
Dale T. · Verified buyer
★★★★★
“Lemon Myrtle is my favorite for all things cleaning. Used on the vacuum cleaner filter leaves the home smelling fresh.”
Jen G. · Verified buyer
Five-star reviews left by verified Judge.me buyers, quoted as written. These are individual customer experiences and results differ from person to person.
Complete your blending kit
Lemon Myrtle is the loudest thing in any blend. These are the oils that give it somewhere to sit.
Foresty depth. The classic pairing with Lemon Myrtle.
$24.95
Soft and floral. Stops the citrus turning shrill.
$18.00
The clearing note. A natural cleaning partner.
$14.95
Sweet and earthy, from the same family.
$34.95
Its sweeter cousin at 65 to 72% citral. Try them side by side.
$34.95
Unscented base for diluting before any skin use.
$17.95
Single origin Australian essential oils since 2016
Questions, answered
A 100% pure essential oil, steam distilled from the leaves of Backhousia citriodora in New South Wales. It is single origin and GC/MS tested, and runs 87 to 95% citral.
An intense, unmistakable lemon with a sweet undertone. It is one of the strongest aromas in the range, so start with fewer drops than you would use of anything else.
Start with 3 to 6 drops in a diffuser. For skin, dilute one or two drops in a carrier oil such as jojoba or sweet almond, and patch test first.
Because it carries far more of the compound that actually smells of lemon. Lemon Myrtle is 87 to 95% citral. Cold-pressed lemon oil is mostly limonene, with citral at roughly 2%. Limonene reads as peel and zest, not as lemon itself.
Honey Myrtle sits at 65 to 72% citral and fills the remaining space with myrcene and geraniol, which bring balsamic and honeyed notes. Lemon Myrtle is the sharper, more single-minded of the two.
No. Never apply an undiluted essential oil and never take one internally. Dilute in a carrier oil first, and patch test.
Yes. Every batch is GC/MS tested and carries a certificate of analysis, which is how the specifications on this page are established.
Keep it out of reach of children and never apply it undiluted. Diffuse in a ventilated room rather than a closed space. Check with your vet before diffusing around pets.
Below 30°C in a dry place away from direct sunlight, with the cap on firmly. The lighter constituents are always the first to escape.
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Free shipping on Australian orders over $75 · 100% pure · GC/MS tested · single origin New South Wales. Choose your pack and we will get it on its way.
Choose your packLemon Myrtle Essential Oil is an aromatherapy product for external use only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always dilute before use and follow the label directions. Statements about individual constituents refer to published research on those constituents, not to an outcome from using this product. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional.
Lemon Myrtle Oil 10mL
