Plants communicate through chemistry. The aroma of a leaf, flower, peel, seed, resin or wood comes from volatile compounds the plant produces for its own purposes. They can attract pollinators, discourage predators, protect the plant, or communicate with the environment around it. Aromatherapy begins with these chemical compounds. When I work with an essential oil, I want to know the plant behind it. What species is it? What part of the plant was used? Where was it grown? Was