DOUGLAS FIR - Pseudotsuga menziesii

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Description

Acknowledged by many as the world’s biggest most beautiful tree, it will grow to 66 metres. It has a tapering shape with no branches on the lower part of the trunk. The foliage is dense and dark, weighing down the side branches.

It is grown in the Highlands commercially, for its timber.

Extraction

The oil is obtained from the branches during felling or thinning operations.

Chemical Composition

The composition of the oil from Highland grown trees is typically:

- beta pinene 36.20%
- alpha pinene 12.54%
- delta carene 10.0%
- sabinene 6.51%
- limonene 4.1% Includes beta phellandrene
- gamma terpinene 5.26%
- beta myrcene 2.9%
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The pinene levels are a little higher than those found in oils of North American origin.

Uses

The main use from the species is the resin, but the oil is said to have therapeutic properties, in particular relating to support to the immune system, for respiratory ailments and for joint pains.

The oil is used in US as a natural pesticide.

Blending

There is no published information on the blending properties of the oil.

Revised 20th January 2005.