My interview guest for this episode is Karen Swanepoel, executive director of the South African Essential Oil Producers Association, botanist, lecturer, researcher and expert on essential oils and vegetable oils in South Africa. In this interview we discuss: - How the three Pelargonium species P. graveolens, P. capitatum and P. radens give traits to the P. var rosé hybrid for essential oil production - Why none of the species alone would be able to provide the essential oil - Which factors influence the chemical composition of the oil in the plant - For what purpose the plant produces the oil - How the oil is extracted and the process is further optimized for energy and resource efficiency - What the rose geranium essential oil production means for South Africa's socio-economy