(Ravensara aromatica)

Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world and is located in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique in Africa. Because of its uniqueness, environmentalists call it the eighth continent. About 80 per cent of plants and animals from Madagascar live only there and nowhere else on the planet. This island is home to almost 12,000 plant species that grow only there. Many of them are medicinal and contain alkaloids such as vinblastine and vincristine that help with lymphoma, leukaemia and other types of cancer.

In that abundance of colourful life, one plant of exceptional properties – ravensara – comes to us from Madagascar. It is a high tree that grows in the rainforest on this island; its scientific name is Ravensara aromatica. Its essential oil has been valued for centuries as an omnipotent remedy by the local population who call it hazomanitra, which literally means “a fragrant tree”. Its seed is similar to nutmeg and some people even call it the nut from Madagascar. Its essential oil is extracted from its juicy aromatic dark green leaves. The oil has a strong pungent aroma and is reminiscent of tea tree and camphor.