Honeysuckle Infused Olive Oil

My Honeysuckle Infused Olive Oil

I decided to experiment with infusing oils with flower blossoms that we have growing wild on our property or that I could wildcraft elsewhere. My first experiment was with Japanese Honeysuckle which is a non-native plant that is classified as an invasive plant in my state (Connecticut). Thus my taking blossoms from the wild and preventing seed production and seed spread is helping perhaps in a small way to stop its further spread.

I used several recipes on the Internet for base reference but wound up doing my own thing and improvising. Here is what I did.

Gathered 1.5 cups of packed blossoms. Immediately put into a plastic bag and gently smash with a hammer.

Empty contents into a clean pint sized jar. Add olive oil to the top. (I used the cheapest type of olive oil.) Stir. Cap it tightly. Place in a spot not in direct sunlight. (Although some sources say to put this in the sun.)

Shake the jar a few times a day over 48 hours.

At 48 hour point strain the blossoms from the oil with cheesecloth. Squeeze the blossoms to get every drop out. Put blossoms in the compost bin. (I read that after 36-48 hours the blossoms no longer emit any oils or scent into the olive oil and that it also risks becoming moldy so I heeded that advice to not let it infuse longer.)

At this point from what I read, I should have repeated the process multiple times but I didn't have access to more blossoms.

I tasted the oil and there was a hint of taste at the end. I worried that it was not strong enough.

In case any water from the blossoms was present I put cheesecloth on the top and seal with an elastic band. Let stand 10-14 days in a dry place without sunlight. I had it in an air conditioned room. This allowed any water present to evaporate.

Then cap tightly, label with date, and store.

Note: Olive oil is considered healthful and healing. The scent does smell like olive oil. If a more pure honeysuckle scent was desired I'd use sweet almond oil instead.

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I used this honeysuckle infused olive oil to make salve for use on my hands. When I heated the oil gently the room filled with the scent of honeysuckle. The salve has a fairly strong scent that is clearly honeysuckle.

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My Honeysuckle Hand Salve

1/2 cup honeysuckle infused olive oil
1/8 cup beeswax (or more)

Put the olive oil and beeswax in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir. The goal is to melt the beeswax. Do not overheat. Just before it is all melted, shut the heat off and continue stirring until it is all melted.

Pour into clean container(s).

This is a bit greasy when first applied but it soaks in within a few minutes and it leaves the hands very soft.

Note: I felt this final product was a bit soft. I would use a bit more beeswax next time. This ratio of beeswax to oil was more firm when I tried 50% sweet almond oil and 50% apricot kernel oil so I assumed this would be the same, but was wrong.