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Blue Tansy

Q: Is Blue Tansy natural or synthetic?

. Extraction: Steam distillation of the flowering tops. Yield approximately 0.3–0.6%. Production exclusively in northern Morocco (Rif region, Atlas foothills). Harvest June–July..

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Blue Tansy

Category
Subcategory
Origin
Volatility	Heart Note
Botanical	Tanacetum annuum
Appearance	deep cobalt-blue clear oily liquid
Odor Strength	Medium-High
Producing Countries	Morocco (Rif region, High Atlas foothills) — exclusively
Pyramid	Heart

Blue tansy is the essential oil of Tanacetum annuum, an annual herb endemic to northern Morocco. Steam distillation of the flowering tops produces a deep cobalt-blue oil — the color arising from chamazulene, formed during distillation from the precursor matricin. Despite the shared common name, it is botanically distinct from common tansy (Tanacetum vulgare, which is toxic) and from blue chamomile (Matricaria recutita).

Scent
The Full Story
Fun Fact
Extraction & Chemistry
In Perfumery

Scent

Sweet-herbaceous and slightly camphoraceous opening, with a fruity-apple facet from the chamomile family. The chamazulene reads as a soft blue-green coolness; sabinene and myrcene give the herbal edge. Less medicinal than Roman chamomile, brighter than German chamomile.

The Full Story

Did You Know?

Did you know?

The blue color of blue tansy oil does not exist in the living plant. Chamazulene — the chromophore responsible for the cobalt-blue hue — is formed during steam distillation when its colorless precursor matricin undergoes thermal decarboxylation. A freshly cut blue tansy flower is pale yellow; the blue appears only in the still.

Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method: Steam distillation of the flowering tops. Yield approximately 0.3–0.6%. Production exclusively in northern Morocco (Rif region, Atlas foothills). Harvest June–July.

Botanical Name	Tanacetum annuum
IFRA Status	Restricted under IFRA — usage limits apply due to skin sensitization potential. Consult current IFRA Standards.
Synonyms	MOROCCAN BLUE CHAMOMILE · TANACETUM ANNUUM · ANNUAL TANSY
Physical Properties
Odor Strength	Medium-High
Lasting Power	24-48 hours
Appearance	deep cobalt-blue clear oily liquid

In Perfumery

Heart-note herbal material used in aromatic-fougère compositions and natural perfumery. Brings a chamomile-adjacent sweetness without the hay-tea character of true chamomile. Often paired with lavender, clary sage, helichrysum and bergamot. The deep blue color is a visual signature in oil-based and bottled-natural products.