Petitgrain is fresh and floral and often used in fresh perfumes, to accompany an orange blossom absolute or a neroli and other slight florals such as ylang ylang, Jasmine etc to impart a fresh floral top note, it is also sometimes found in tea notes.

The tree of the Petitgrain grown in Paraguay to produce petitgrain essential oil is a hybrid between the bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) and sweet orange (Citrus sinensis). Bitter orange trees do not thrive at all in Paraguay, while the hybrid called the “bitter sweet orange tree” is very easily grown.

The harvested foliage of the Petitgrain is distilled, producing an essential oil that is herbaceous and floral, reminiscent of the smell of orange blossom.