Lemon Eucalyptus and Litsea Cubeba: A Shared Name Only

"Oil of lemon eucalyptus" shows up on a CDC list of recommended repellent ingredients, and "lemon eucalyptus essential oil" sits on a shelf next to litsea cubeba. It is easy to assume they are the same thing. They are not, and the story of how they differ is a good lesson in reading labels.

Litsea Cubeba Essential Oil bottle

Litsea Cubeba Essential Oil

Our own Litsea Cubeba Essential Oil, in sizes from 0.5 oz to bulk.

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Same lemon name, different plants and molecules

Litsea cubeba is a fruit oil, steam-distilled from the small pepper-like fruit of a tree in the laurel family, and it is built mostly on citral. In laboratory distillates from eight sites across six Chinese provinces, neral plus geranial made up roughly 79% to 87% of the oil, with citronellal at up to about 6%.

Lemon eucalyptus is a leaf oil from a eucalyptus-family tree (Corymbia citriodora). A Brazilian study that steam-distilled its leaves found citronellal as the main component at about 62%, and the oil was built around citronellal rather than citral. That is one sample from one site, so other origins will differ, but the leading molecule is the point. Citral gives litsea its sharp, sweet lemon-drop character. Citronellal leads in lemon eucalyptus. Smell them side by side from a supplier and the difference is easy to notice.

What "oil of lemon eucalyptus" means on a repellent list

This is where the confusion often starts. The CDC Yellow Book chapter on mosquitoes and ticks lists "oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or PMD" among the active ingredients that typically give reasonably long-lasting protection. PMD is the chemical name of a compound that CDC describes as the synthesized version of OLE. In the same chapter, CDC says it does not recommend using unformulated oil of lemon eucalyptus as a repellent, because that raw essential oil has not undergone validated testing for safety and efficacy. It also advises that products containing OLE or PMD should generally not be used on children under 3.

So the registered product on the pharmacy shelf is a formulated or synthesized ingredient under a registration. The essential oil is the plant material that inspired it. A review of plant-based repellents in the Malaria Journal makes the same distinction from the performance side: it describes PMD as giving high protection over several hours, while the lemon eucalyptus essential oil is repellent for around one hour. It also notes that CDC has advocated PMD, and not plant oils generally, for disease-endemic areas.

That is the useful takeaway for anyone shopping. A bottle labelled lemon eucalyptus essential oil and a product labelled with "oil of lemon eucalyptus" as a registered active ingredient are two different things. If mosquitoes carry disease where you live or travel, read the label for an EPA registration, and ask a physician or pharmacist about the right product, especially for children.

Where litsea fits

We sell litsea cubeba as an external cosmetic and craft oil, and we make no repellent claim for it. We do not sell lemon eucalyptus. What litsea does well is scent: an intense, sweet, lemon-bright note that suits candles, soap, home fragrance and perfumery, and it blends well with ginger, rosemary, geranium, vetiver, bergamot and ylang ylang.

It also comes with its own handling guidance, because citral is a recognised skin sensitiser. For skin, we recommend diluting to between 0.5% and 2% in a carrier oil and patch testing a small area first. We start at the low end, and our IFRA article explains the citral limits for products made for sale. Keep litsea away from eyes, children and pets, and never take it internally. The skin basics article covers the patch test step by step.

Curious how litsea compares with its closest citral relative? The lemongrass comparison is the natural next read, and the citronella comparison covers another lemon-smelling oil that gets mixed up with it.

The next time a label says lemon, ask which plant, which part and which molecule is behind it. The answer tells you far more than the name does.

Litsea Cubeba Essential Oil bottle

Litsea Cubeba Essential Oil

Litsea Cubeba Essential Oil from our own shop, in sizes from 0.5 oz to bulk.

From $12.99

Shop Now →

Sources & Further Reading