wax myrtle

[Guest guest]

I have a wax myrtle in my yard and my husband loves the smell. He wants

me to make a soap using the leaves. I searched for wax myrtle EO and

all I could find was bayberry. Is this the same? If not, how would I

capture the scent? I dried some of the leaves but the scent did not

remain.

Also, I find no indication that wax myrtle is poisonious or dangerous.

does anyone know something different?

thanks!

angie

[Guest guest]

Hi Angie,

 

Here's a couple of good links on bayberry. You might take a branch of your

wax myrtle to your local county extension service to insure that it is the

correct botanical, but I suspect it is.

 

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/herbhunters/bayberry.html

 

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/bayber20.html

 

We get a lovely bayberry candle (only available at Christmastime) from

Vermont . . . not sure how they process the plant for candles, but this

tells me that you certainly should be able to make soap, as well.

 

 

Be well,

 

Marcia Elston, Samara Botane, http://www.wingedseed.com

" First of all, cultivate a contented spirit; a garden is a good place to

begin. "

 

 

________________________________

 

On Behalf Of angiewilliams18

Thursday, May 12, 2005 8:32 AM

 

wax myrtle

 

 

I have a wax myrtle in my yard and my husband loves the smell. He wants

me to make a soap using the leaves. I searched for wax myrtle EO and

all I could find was bayberry. Is this the same? If not, how would I

capture the scent? I dried some of the leaves but the scent did not

remain.

Also, I find no indication that wax myrtle is poisonious or dangerous.

does anyone know something different?

thanks!

angie

[Guest guest]

While I was on a tour of the Louisiana swamps one time we came across a wax

myrtle. The guide said that the ol settlers used to just boil the leaves in

water...take out the leaves and let the water cool and skim off the wax. Might

give it a try.

Anita