Patchouli: origin, history, scent, how to use it and how to choose it

What is patchouli?

Patchouli is a bushy perennial plant of the Lamiaceae family, the same family as mint, lavender and rosemary. It reaches about 75 centimetres and bears small white-pink flowers. Its name comes, according to the common explanation, from Tamil words meaning 'green leaf'. It is native to the islands of Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka and part of northeastern India, and is today grown in warm, humid regions around the world. It is propagated by cuttings.

The part used is the leaf, together with young stems. They are dried and, to develop the scent, fermented. Essential oil, distilled with steam, is the most common form: Indonesia alone supplies over 90% of world production, around 1,600 tonnes a year. It is used to scent most 'patchouli' sticks and cones.

A little history

Patchouli is an ancient ingredient of East Asian incenses. In Europe, a widespread story tells how, in the nineteenth century, Indian cashmere shawls were wrapped in patchouli leaves for the journey, so that this smell became a sign of authenticity. In the 1960s and 1970s it became the emblematic scent of the hippie movement in the West, and it remains associated with that era.

Its scent, described simply

Its scent is divisive: some love its earthy side, others find it heavy. One can detect damp earth, wood, a sweet note close to cocoa or amber, and sometimes a camphorous edge. Over time, the scent rounds out: aged leaves and oils are less harsh than young ones. Used in small quantities, it adds depth to a blend.

Traditional cultural uses

In East Asian incenses, patchouli is a frequent ingredient in sticks and powders. In Indonesia, it has long been grown and distilled. In the West, it is above all an ambient scent. To our knowledge, it has no single fixed ritual function: be wary of texts that attribute one to it with too much confidence.

How to use it

• Sticks and cones: the most common forms. Place the stick in a stick holder with an ash catcher, away from anything that could catch fire; place the cone on a heat-resistant dish.
• Dried leaves: a few fragments can be placed on a heating plate or on charcoal covered with grey ash, but their smoke quickly turns harsh. They are mainly used to scent a blend.

Patchouli is strong: start with half a stick in a small room. For the basics, see Incense and smoke cleansing.

Choosing well and spotting imitations

A good patchouli stick mentions leaves or essential oil of Pogostemon cablin. Avoid:

• sticks whose composition says only 'perfume' or 'fragrance': the smell is then a synthetic aroma, often sharper and sweeter than true patchouli;
• very cheap oils, which may be cut with other oils or synthetic products;
• sticks with no mention of origin.

True patchouli has an earthy base that does not disappear within seconds; a uniform, sweet smell that evaporates quickly is a bad sign.

Sustainability and ethics

Patchouli is a cultivated plant, and we are not aware of any threat to the species. The ethical questions concern rather the growing and distilling conditions: soil exhaustion if it is replanted too quickly in the same place, wood used to heat the stills, fair pay for small producers, who are often families. We have not found solid sources on these points and prefer to say so: ask the seller about origin and supply chain.

Safety

Patchouli has a persistent smell: burn it in small quantities, in a ventilated room, with a window slightly open, and not in a bedroom where you sleep. Any burning degrades indoor air; keep sessions short and air afterwards. People sensitive to smells, people with asthma, young children and birds should not be exposed; dogs and cats must be able to leave the room. Hot ash: use a heat-resistant dish, away from fabrics, and never leave it unattended.

Storage

Keep sticks in their original packaging, or in a closed box, in a dry place away from sunlight. Patchouli keeps well over time: its scent rounds out with the years, as long as humidity does not spoil the sticks.

Pairings with other incenses

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Guide to incense and resins.