Aromatic plant cultivation
From varietal selection to harvest, we handle every step.
From varietal selection to harvest, we handle every step.
At Oranes, we carry out the entire production cycle. Variety selection, propagation, cultivation, plot maintenance, mechanized manual harvesting. Nothing is delegated or outsourced. This complete mastery allows us to guarantee our clients absolute traceability, from seed to finished product.
Our plots are located in a protected area in southern France, where the Mediterranean climate meets mountain zones, and where the distinctive soils offer aromatic plants the ideal conditions to develop a rich and complex olfactory profile.
Rigorous choice of varieties for their olfactory profile, terroir adaptation and resilience.
Seeding, cutting, division. We produce our own plants to control quality from the very start.
Conducted under Organic Agriculture and agroecology. Cover crops, rotations, zero chemical inputs.
Mechanized manual harvesting, at the optimal stage to capture the best of the aromatic profile.
Contract-based for specific varieties: cornflower, calendula... We cultivate according to your specific needs.
We work on small plots that allow us to intercalate crops. This configuration significantly reduces pest pressure, greatly promotes the work of beneficial organisms and makes it easier to harvest and distill at different stages.
We maintain several varieties and chemotypes in our collection. Some are in production and others are awaiting propagation, depending on demand.
Multiple chemotypes for: geraniol, thymol, camphor, myrcene, linalool, thujanol, rose, citriodorus.
Multiple chemotypes for clary sage, trilobed, white, black, desoleana.
And also rosemary, mint, cistus ladanifer, helichrysum, sweet marjoram, verbena...
Across all our plots, aromatic plants grow in a permanent cover crop. The soil is never left bare. This practice protects the earth from erosion, nourishes microbial life, promotes water retention and creates habitat for beneficial organisms and pollinators.
Each new planting is done by transplanting directly into the cover crop. Plants are installed amid living vegetation, without prior soil tillage. The cover is simply opened locally to welcome young plants, then continues its protective role throughout the growth cycle.
This approach requires more time and observation than conventional farming, but it produces more resilient plants, rooted in living soil, with an enriched aromatic profile.
In the depths of winter, when aromatic plants are dormant, the cover crop continues working. It maintains soil structure, prevents nutrient leaching from rain, stores carbon and prepares the ground for spring recovery.
This photo taken in December shows a young immortelle plot. The green cover is clearly visible between the rows. It is this consistency in practice, season after season, that makes the difference. The soil remains alive, protected, and the plants benefit directly.
Certified organic since the beginning of our activity. No conversion period, no compromise. Organic is our starting point, not a milestone.
Permanent cover crops, hedgerows, beneficial organisms, pollinator protection. We cultivate with the ecosystem, not against it.
Our plant materials are transformed in our own workshops. Distillation, extraction — each process is chosen to reveal the best of the plant.
Discover our extractions