Patchouli

Monograph:

Family: Lamiaceae

Synonyms: patchouly, Pogostemon patchouli

Origin: native to India, Indonesia and Malaysia, now grown throughout Asia

Parts Used: for making incense use the essential oil (aged oils are better) – the fermented dried leaves have a foul odor when directly burned. Dried patchouli leaves can work well on incense stoves which allow adjusting either the heat intensity or the distance away from the flame so it doesn’t burn at all

Aroma Description: deep, rich, intense, sweet, herbaceous, spicy, woody balsamic

Cosmetic Uses: Perfumery, aromatherapy, potpourri; creams, lotions, oils, toiletries, etc.

Culinary Uses: used in breath fresheners, and in the commercial food industry

Medicinal Attributes: an astringent, antiseptic, warming herb that acts as a diuretic,, lowers fever, improves digestion, controls vomiting and has both a tonic and sedative effect on the nervous system.

Essential Oil: Yes, a steam distilled essential oil is made. The cell walls of the leaves must first be ruptured before distilling, this is done by controlled light fermentation with superheated steam or by stacking the leaves in bales and curing them. The essential oil gets much better with age.

A resinoid is also made from a concrete created by using hydrocarbon solvents on the dried leaves.

Mixes Well With: benzoin, borneol camphor, calamus, cassia, cedar-red, clove, iris root, labdanum, lavender, musk seeds, mugwort, myrrh, nutmeg, opoponax, pine needles, rhubarb, rose, sandalwood, spikenard, tolu balsam, valerian root, vetiver, neroli, bergamot, geranium, etc.