Ringwood

Used as a flavouring spice and herbal tea ingredient. Although previously known, it was first sold in the early 1990s as a bushfood spice, and in the mid 1990s cultivated in plantations to meet demand. The essential oil of S. anisatum contains anethole and methyl chavicol, imparting aniseed and licorice flavours. 'Aniseed myrtle' is the name originally coined to specifically describe high quality selections of the trans-anethole chemotype (90%+) - generally recognized as safe for flavouring. These selections are propagated from cuttings for consistent essential oil quality. The aniseed myrtle selections are also low in methyl chavicol and cis-anethole (less than 0.1%). Research indicates that aniseed myrtle oil has antimicrobial activity, including on the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans.