Bulbs – Tuberosa 1kg pack

₱1,000.00

The overwhelming fragrance of the tuberose has been distilled for use in perfumery since the 17th century, when the flower was first transported to Europe. French Queen Marie Antoinette used a perfume called Sillage de la Reine, also called Parfum de Trianon, containing tuberose, orange blossom, sandalwood, jasmine, iris and cedar. It remains a popular floral note for perfumes, either in stand-alone Tuberose fragrances or mixed floral scents, but it generally must be used in moderation because the essence is overpowering and can become sickly to the wearer.

Azucena or Polianthes Tuberose is an evergreen, with a stout and tuberous rootstock. Basal leaves are linear, 40 to 60 centimeters long, less than 1 centimeter wide, those on the stem much shorter. The inflorescence is erect, 0.5 to 1 meter high. Flowers are fragrant, waxy white, in pairs, 5 to 6 centimeters long, and the segments, oblong-lanceolate, 1 to 1.5 centimeters long.

Category: Tags: , , , ,

Description

Voluptuous, so voluptuous.  Intoxicating, so intoxicating.  And expensive, so expensive!  It takes over 3600 kilos of flowers to produce just half a kilo of tuberose oil, with its sweet, exotic, complex, velvety floral opulence.  Happily, it’s so concentrated that only a small amount need be used (although several very sophisticated scents do ramp up the tuberose, as a ‘star’ ingredient).

But in truth, the tuberose used in perfumery nowadays is often a synthetic copy – not just because of the price, but because through manipulating the aroma particles, it’s possible to bring out tuberose’s creaminess, or its more ‘camphor’-like side.  Reminscent of jasmine, gardenia and orange blossom, tuberose is often blended alongside those other white flowers.)

The Polianthes tuberose plant is related to the lily – you can almost tell that, from smelling it.  (Do please completely ignore the word ‘rose’ in its name.)

Known as ‘the carnal flower’, tuberose’s blooms are so powerful that just a few stems can fill a room with their headiness, pumping out their scent for days or even weeks.

In Victorian times, tuberose symbolised ‘dangerous pleasure’ and voluptuousness – and that’s pretty much what perfumers are aiming for, when they use it.  In India, meanwhile, it’s known for its aphrodisiac powers (young women are advised not to breathe its scent, after dark.)  Innocent, tuberose most definitely is not.

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.

Related products