Ambrette Seed

Listing ID #3203381

The botanical name of ambrette is hibiscus abelmoschus l. It is a tropical hibiscus with beautiful bright yellow flowers, and its distinctive seed pods look so similar to okra that the plant is sometimes referred to as “musk okra” or “ornamental okra.”
ambrette is native to india, where it is known as mushkdana or kasturi bhendi. The plant grows to just over a meter in height and is an evergreen shrub. When mature the pods split open to reveal kidney-shaped seeds that have a sweet, flowery, heavy fragrance.
Ambrette has long been appreciated in perfumery as one of the few plant oils that contains natural musk compounds, including one named after the plant, ambrettolide.
Many synthetic musks are cooked up in laboratories these days, but for people who care about natural products, there is no substitute for the natural.
Ambrette oil is expensive and rare because so much work goes into creating it. Unlike some oil crops where the plant leaves are used, ambrette oil is made only from seeds, which weigh very little and must be carefully gathered.
The seeds represent a tiny fraction of the biomass of the entire plant, and only a very small yield of essential oil is achieved -- 0.2% to 0.6% of the total weight of the seeds.
In natural perfumery, it can be used in a wide range of compositions including musk bases, amber accords, high class florals, oriental bouquets, incense perfumes, fougere, and new mown hay.
Ambrette oil is pale yellow, with an enchanting aroma described variously as sweet, rich, warm musky, fatty and nutty, with floral overtones.
after a short period of aging, more complex notes can emerge, such as , fruit, and . Like all musks, ambrette is a perfumery base note.