Orris root

Orris root (rhizoma iridis) is a term used for the roots Iris germanica and Iris pallida.

Ingredients

The chief ingredient of Orris root is oil of Orris (0.1-0.2%) a yellow-white mass which contains myristic acid Oil of Orris can also be found as Orris Butter.

Other ingredients include, fat, resin, starch, mucilage, bitter extractive and a glucoside called 'Iridin' or 'Irisin'.

Uses

Once important in western herbal medicine, it is now used mainly as a fixative and base note in perfumery, the most widely used fixative for potpourri. Orris is also an ingredient in many brands of gin.

Fabienne Pavia, in her book L'univers des Parfums (1995, ed. Solar), states that in the manufacturing of perfumes using orris, the scent of the iris root differs from that of the flower. After preparation the scent is reminiscent of the smell of violets.

Preparation

After an initial drying period, which can take five years or more depending on the use, the root is ground. For potpourri, this powder is used without further processing. For other uses, it is dissolved in water and then distilled. It becomes a highly scented, yellow-brown crystalline form. One ton of iris root produces two kilos of essential oil, also referred to as 'orris root butter' or 'butter of iris', making it a highly prized substance. Its fragrance has been described as tenaciously flowery, heavy and woody (paraphrasing Pavia, Dutch translation, page 40). It is similar to violets.