Tangerines are named after the Moroccan city, Tangier, where they were first cultivated. The tree is evergreen with fragrant white flowers.

The essential oil is cold-pressed from the peel or rind. For the essential oil, it is best to harvest the fruit before it is completely mature, because, if the fruit is too ripe, the peel will come away from the pulp too easily and it cannot be cold-pressed. In Brazil, tangerines are produced mainly for the fresh fruit industry. Fruit that cannot be sold (usually because of blemishes or bruises) is pressed into essential oil. This provides us with a beautiful Tangerine essential oil, while also compensating farmers for fruit which would have otherwise been discarded.