The Ingredient Library
Buchu
Agathosma betulina
Buchu essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves of a small shrub found only in the Cape mountains of South Africa. Its scent is strongly minty with a note of blackcurrant.
Get to know buchu essential oil
- Source
- Leaves
- Origin
- Western Cape, South Africa
- Extraction
- Steam distilled
- Aroma
- Minty, blackcurrant
What it is
Buchu is an aromatic essential oil distilled from the plant.
Why it belongs in your routine
South African leaf oil with a sharp mint and blackcurrant scent.
How to use
Always dilute in a carrier oil before it touches skin. Never use undiluted. Patch test first.
Where does buchu essential oil come from?
Buchu is Agathosma betulina, a small shrub of the fynbos vegetation of South Africa's Western Cape. It grows wild only in the higher mountains of the Cape Fold Belt, including the Cederberg, and reaches around one to two metres. Its leathery, round leaves are dotted with oil glands on the underside and give off a strong smell when crushed. Small white to pale mauve star-shaped flowers appear in spring.
Buchu essential oil is pale yellow to amber with a powerful, minty and camphorous scent carrying a distinct blackcurrant note. That fruity note comes from sulphur-containing compounds present in tiny amounts, alongside diosphenol and menthone-type compounds. It is used in very small quantities in perfumery, where it adds a fruity green top note, and in aromatic blends with citrus and herbal oils.
Sourcing & extraction
How buchu essential oil is sourced and extracted
Why it is rare
Buchu grows naturally in only a few mountain ranges of one South African province. Harvest is limited to a short summer season, wild picking is regulated by permit, and the leaves give a small amount of oil, so volumes are low.
How it is gathered
Buchu is harvested in South Africa's Western Cape between December and March. Most supply now comes from farms in the same mountain areas where the plant grows wild, since cultivation expanded from the 1990s. Some leaf is still picked from wild stands under permit by local harvesters, who cut the leafy tips with shears. The cut material is dried in the shade, bagged and taken to distilleries in the region.
How it is made
Steam distilled from the leaves
- Leafy branch tips are cut by hand during the summer harvest, leaving the woody base to sprout again.
- The cut material is spread out to dry in the shade, then the leaves are separated from the stems.
- Dried leaves are packed into a still and steam is passed through them to release the essential oil.
- The steam is condensed and the oil is separated from the water in a collecting vessel, then filtered.
How to use buchu essential oil
- Add a few drops to a diffuser for its aroma.
- For skin, dilute 1 to 2 drops in a teaspoon of carrier oil before applying.
- Keep away from eyes and never use undiluted on skin.
For external use only. Patch test on a small area before first use and stop if irritation occurs. If you are pregnant, nursing or have a medical condition, ask a healthcare professional before use.
From ingredient to routine
Products with Buchu
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Questions about Buchu
Where does Buchu come from?
Buchu is harvested in South Africa's Western Cape between December and March. Most supply now comes from farms in the same mountain areas where the plant grows wild, since cultivation expanded from the 1990s. Some leaf is still picked from wild stands under permit by local harvesters, who cut the leafy tips with shears. The cut material is dried in the shade, bagged and taken to distilleries in the region.
How is Buchu extracted?
Steam distilled from the leaves. Leafy branch tips are cut by hand during the summer harvest, leaving the woody base to sprout again. The cut material is spread out to dry in the shade, then the leaves are separated from the stems. Dried leaves are packed into a still and steam is passed through them to release the essential oil. The steam is condensed and the oil is separated from the water in a collecting vessel, then filtered.
Why is Buchu considered rare?
Buchu grows naturally in only a few mountain ranges of one South African province. Harvest is limited to a short summer season, wild picking is regulated by permit, and the leaves give a small amount of oil, so volumes are low.
