Using Essential Oils and Herbs to Make Potpourri

When well blended potpourri can last for a long time when it is placed in decorative bowls, sheer fabric bags, or in specialized potpourri vases.

Potpourri gives off pleasing fragrances using a combination of herbs, dried flowers, barks, leaves, roots and spices. When well blended potpourri can last for a long time when it is placed in decorative bowls, sheer fabric bags, or in specialized potpourri vases. The term potpourri is French in origin, meaning rotten pot.

There are a variety of uses for potpourri, including providing a delicate perfume to any room, refreshing dresser drawers, and decorating a room in a decorative basket or bowl. They also make terrific gifts for both family and friends. The elements in a potpourri are specially blended to give you both a beautiful scent and an attractive appearance.

Potpourri is a fairly simple thing to make. They are usually produced by combining various aromatic plant materials, as well as spices, citrus peels, and wood chips with an essential oil which helps to preserve the fragrance for an extended period of time. Some excellent plant materials to use when making potpourris include marigold flowers, rose petals, fragrant herbs, lavender, mints, and other foliage. A fixative is usually applied to trap in the scents and allow them to last longer. You can find fixatives that are powdered, liquid, or dried. Some common materials used as fixatives include cellulose, benzoin, oak moss, and orris root.

Some of the most popular herbs used for creating potpourri are lemon balm, various mints, lavender, lemon verbena, and scented geranium leaves. You can easily create your own special potpourri blend by drying these herbs yourself. You can make the potpourri last longer by sprinkling it with a few drops of essential oils. It won’t take you long to know what herbs and plants blend well together to create your own custom fragrances.

When your first start making potpourri it is sometimes helpful to blend items with similar themes, such as citrus, spicy, floral, or woody elements. Find like elements and blend them together to create your unique scent. You can finish it off by combining a fixative with your spices and adding in just a couple of drops of essential oils. Once you blend all your ingredients together it can be stored for at least a month sealed in a location that is dark, warm, and dry. When you are ready to display your potpourri all you need is a decorative bowl, basket, or jar.

To get you started we have included a few basic recipes for potpourri.

Basic Rose Potpourri
You will need to start by blending about 3 Tbsp. of orris root with 1 tsp of rose essential oil and letting that combination sit for at least two days. You can spice up your rose potpourri by adding 2 tsp each of cinnamon and ground cloves. You will get a sweet floral scent if you include ¼ cup of ground tonka and about 2 cups of lavender. If you are more inclined to have a musky scent, opt for 1 cup of patchouli leaves combines with ½ cup each of sandalwood and vetiver root. If a fruity smell is more what you are after include one cup each of lemon scented geranium leaves, rose petals, and citrus peel.

Balsam Fir Potpourri
This unique blend needs to age for at least a month before you use it. It is a wonderful combination of ¾ cup sweet woodruff leaves, 1 cup balsam needles, 1 cup lavender, 1 cup dried violet blossoms, 1 oz balsam Peru tincture, 2 tbsp salt, and ¼ cup bee balm blossoms.

Christmas Gift Potpourri
Be sure to start this project in advance, as the potpourri will need to cure for a while sealed in a container that is occasionally shaken. You will need 2 cups each of orange peel, lemon verbena leaves, and rose buds and petals, 1 cup each of whole allspice, star
anise, ginger root, and sassafras bark, and 30 drops allspice oil.

Citrus Potpourri
Again, once you have blended the ingredients you will want to seal them together and shake them occasionally while they cure. For this blend you will need 4 cups each of lemon verbena leaves, ground citrus peel, and marigold or calendula petals, 2 cups each of lemon balm leaves, orange mint, and lemon, lime or orange scented geranium leaves, 1 cup of apple mint, and 2 cups of orris root which has been blended with 1 tbsp orange oil and 1 tbsp lemon oil.

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The information on this site is not a substitute for medical or legal advice. The information on this site is only the authors opinion.

Terms of use and our legal disclaimer: Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease. Always seek the advice from a certified doctor before using essential oils.