Patchouli
|
|
| Patchouli | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Pogostemon cablin |
Patchouli is both a plant and an essential oil derived from the leaves of that plant. The scent of patchouli is very strong, and some people find it offensive. It has been used for centuries in perfumes, and is grown in the East and West Indies.
Patchouli oil and incense underwent a surge in popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, mostly by devotees of the free love and hippie lifestyles. The Hare Krishna movement may have been directly responsible for this surge. The god Krsna is said to "inhabit" patchouli.
Despite its common association with an alternative lifestyle, patchouli has also found widespread use in modern industry. It is a component in about 1/3 of modern, high-end perfumes, including more than half of perfumes for men.
It is also used as a scent in products like paper towels, laundry detergents, and air fresheners. The essential oil is derived from the steam distillation of the dried leaves of the plant, which provides a relatively high yield of the oil in the process.
The plants grow very well in southern climates. They enjoy hot weather but not direct sunlight. They tend to wither unless an adequate amount of water is given daily. If the plant does wither a cup or two of water is all it takes to revive them. The seed bearing flowers are very fragrant and bloom in late fall. The tiny seeds may be harvested for planting but they are very delicate and can be crushed easily. Cuttings from the mother plant can also be rooted in water to produce further plantings.
It has a number of associated health benefits in herbal-lore, and its scent is supposed to be relaxing.