Bergamot

Plant

Bergamot (C. aurantium subsp. Bergamia, or Citrus bergamia) is a variety of sour orange, considered a mix between lemon and orange, it grows in the Bergamo area in northern Italy, although they are native to South Asia.

It is a very nutritious yellow citrus fruit, similar in size to an orange, and with acidic and bitter juice. Bergamot essential oil is extracted from the skin of the fruit. It has softening, refreshing and invigorating properties for the skin.

Bergamot should not be applied before sunbathing, as it can cause unsightly spots on the skin, due to its photo-sensitizing properties.

The bergamot tree is native to Southeast Asia, where citrus trees come from, and was later taken to Persia and the Mediterranean along the Silk Road.

The word “bergamot” has two possible origins. One story says that it derives from the name of the Italian city of Bergamo, famous for its bergamot orchards. Another says that the name comes from the bey word “armut”, which in Turkish means “prince’s pear”.