Cedar
Latin name: Thuja occidentalis
Origin: Asia and America
Size: Up to 40 m high
Leaves : evergreen
The Boreal Forest of Canada is by far the largest, creating a green belt close to 6000 kilometers long and up to 3000 kilometers wide in some areas. Mainly comprised of coniferous trees (76%), it is home to 16% of the world’s pine, spruce, larch, cedar or thuya, hemlock and fir resources. From an economic point of view, these trees are the most valuable. Both Canada and Québec provide a gigantic source of essential oils extracted from coniferous trees.
Features:
Resinous of the coniferous family
Finely fissured light grey bark
Egg-shaped cone
Seeds must mature 2 years before the cone blooms
Transformation
Transformation consists of extracting essential oil from cedar leaves using steam distillation. At the end of each pick-up day, the trimmings are unloaded from the trucks, chopped and blown into a still. The oil contained in the foliage is extracted with steam and separated in a decanter after being cooled in an indirect contact heat exchanger. Then, the oil is filtered, stored in barrels and distributed to wholesalers for use in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.
Coniferous essential oils are experiencing a boom in growing industries such as pharmaceutical companies. In Québec, the interest in these oils started in the fifties. The popularity of this product is in full bloom and users are always on the lookout for new fragrances.
Cedar oil
Oil extracted from cedar leaves belongs to the essential oil family, natural complexes of volatile and odorous molecules. Cedar oil, nature’s pearl, is made up of active essences synthesized by the secretory cells of aromatic plants using solar energy. It is used in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products because of its therapeutic properties as well as in perfumes, toiletries, cosmetics, soaps and detergents because of its aromatic properties. Essential oils must be used with care and it is recommended to obtain the advice of an aromatherapist and a physician before any internal and/or external use.
Where to buy
Our Cedar essential oil is available in 15 ml bottles at our liquidation centers La Source des Aubaines (74 Gréber Blvd, 914 Maloney East Blvd and 93 Lois Street) and in our online store. Also available in barrels, please contact us to purchase this format.
Mulch
One the oil is extracted from the cedar leaves, the residues are transformed into mulch. Re-Source Intégration redistributes this mulch free of charge to the community. The use of cedar mulch is very beneficial, both from an ecological and phytosanitary point of view. It can be added to a flower bed, around a patio or pool, under trees or to any other area where ornamental plants grow. In addition to being very decorative, mulch acts as a protective barrier, keeping the soil moist and vegetation protected from drought. Is also reduces thermal variations and protects plants from extreme ground and soil temperatures. As a result, the plants stay cool in the summer and are protected from frost in the winter. The presence of such an organic mulch provides the soil with a source of mineral elements and a quantity of organic matter, which is beneficial for the structure as well as for the biological and chemical balance of the soil. Moreover, a soil protected in this way is less likely to become compacted and eroded.
Free distribution to the community
You can pick-up free mulch from mid-May to October at
312 Saint-Louis Street, Gatineau.
