Osmanthus essential oil is generally extracted from golden osmanthus (Jin Gui), which has larger golden-yellow flowers, rather than the silver osmanthus (Yin Gui) with the small white flowers that we usually see; it is extracted from the flowers of golden osmanthus by the solvent method. Osmanthus essential oil helps relieve headaches and fatigue, and it is also an excellent mood lifter. It can also treat rheumatism and joint pain. Osmanthus essential oil is also the best air freshener; whether used in a diffuser or mixed with water and sprayed indoors, it is a very good choice for regulating the air. In addition, adding a few drops of osmanthus essential oil to hot water for soaking the feet can promote blood circulation and meridian flow, and can also achieve the effect of removing foot odor and athlete's foot.
Osmanthus, also known as muxi, dangui, and yangui, belongs to the Oleaceae family and is an evergreen shrub or tree that can reach a height of 10 m. Its crown is round and spherical. The trunk is rough and grayish white. The leaves are leathery, opposite, elliptical or oblong-elliptical, with serrated edges on young leaves. The flowers grow in clusters, with 3 to 5 flowers borne in the leaf axils, mostly on the current year's spring shoots, and also on two- and three-year-old branches; the corolla splits down to the base and comes in colors such as milky white, yellow, and orange-red, with an extremely strong fragrance. There are many varieties of osmanthus; four are common: golden osmanthus, silver osmanthus, red osmanthus, and four-season osmanthus. The fruit is a purple-black drupe, commonly called guizi.
Osmanthus originated in southwestern and central China and is now widely planted in the Yangtze River basin and areas to the south. It prefers a warm, humid climate and tolerates high temperatures but not cold, being a temperate tree species. Osmanthus has lush, evergreen leaves and a long lifespan; it blooms in autumn and is richly fragrant. It is an ornamental flowering plant and fragrant tree unique to China. Xianning region in Hubei has especially large areas of contiguous planting and is the hometown of osmanthus. Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Guilin also have forests of red osmanthus that are spectacular to see. The wood of the osmanthus tree is fine, dense, and tough, and has many uses. Oulouya osmanthus oil has a pungent, warm odor and is non-toxic; as a medicine it has effects such as resolving phlegm, relieving cough, promoting fluid production, and stopping toothache. Its fragrance is rich and elegant, intoxicating to those who smell it.