Patchouli, (Pogostemon cablin), aromatic flowering plant of the mint family
Do patchouli plants smell?
A shrubby tropical plant from the mint family, patchouli is best known for its fragrant oil that adds a rich, earthy component to soaps, lotions, and perfumes. People who don’t care for the scent of the oil may still enjoy the smell of patchouli’s aromatic stems and leaves when crushed.
Can I grow patchouli plant?
How to Grow Patchouli Plants. Patchouli likes a warm, damp climate in fertile, well-draining soil in an area of full to partial sun exposure. This herb is conducive to container growth , or you can plant it directly into the garden. Patchouli herb plant thrives in a soil pH of between 5.5 and 6.2.
What kind of scent is patchouli?
Patchouli has a strong, sweet scent that falls into the musky-earthy category . Because of its strong fragrance, it’s often used as a base scent in candles and perfumes. (The base scent is the fragrance you smell after the top and mid notes have melted away.)
Is patchouli easy to grow?
Patchouli flowers are easy to grow , but only if the conditions are right. They thrive in warm and humid regions where they can benefit from moist, fertile soils and filtered sunlight.
Is patchouli plant poisonous to dogs?
Patchouli is best known when employed as an essential oil in perfumes and aromatherapy. In this form, it is not recommended for internal use in humans and I would extend this caution to dogs and particularly cats .
How long do patchouli plants live?
NOTE: The oils found in the leaves are often used in perfumes, cosmetics, air fresheners, and insect repellents. Patchouli is a short-lived plant, typically lasting two to three years .
Will patchouli keep bugs away?
Insecticide. Both historically and in the modern-day, patchouli essential oil can act as a strong and effective insect repellent . It has been used since ancient times to keep mosquitoes, bed bugs, ants, flies, moths, and fleas away and provides a natural way to eradicate pests.
What do I do with a patchouli plant?
They can be easily dried by spreading them in a single layer on a screen, in a well-ventilated space out of direct sunlight . Once the leaves are completely dried, they can be added to potpourri, or ground to use in incense . Patchouli has been used for thousands of years as an incense ingredient.
Can patchouli grow from cuttings?
Patchouli does not produce seed, so it must be propagated from stem cuttings of a mature plant . Choose to plant patchouli in soil that is fertile and in a partially sunny spot. The cuttings should be spaced at least 12 inches away from each other and the roots spread out thoroughly.
What does pure patchouli smell like?
Patchouli oil has a characteristic scent that might be described as woody, sweet, and spicy . Because of this, it’s often used as a scent additive in products like perfumes, cosmetics, and incense.
Which perfume has the most patchouli?
- Dior Patchouli Impérial.
- Jo Malone London English Pear & Freesia.
- Parfums de Marly Sedbury.
- Chanel Coco Mademoiselle.
- Bella Freud 1970 Eau de Parfum.
- Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia.
What was patchouli originally used for?
Although Patchouli native to Asia, its first applications were actually developed in South India, it was used mainly as a medicine while also finding use as an insect repellant and even in herbal teas!
Why do hippies use patchouli oil?
Experts suggest that regular use of patchouli oil by hippies is because of the raw, earthy and natural nature of this oil . ... Some experts suggest that strong-smelling patchouli oil was used by hippies to mask the smell of marijuana that they have used. It was also effective in masking the smell of alcohol.
Is patchouli a perennial?
Patchouli is a shrubby perennial plant that grows up to 1 metre (3 feet) in height. The large fragrant leaves are roughly oval in shape and irregularly toothed and are borne oppositely along the branching stems. Both the stems and the leaves are densely hairy.
Are patchouli leaves edible?
Culinary. Patchouli leaves have also been used to make an herbal tea. In some cultures, the leaves are eaten as a vegetable or used as a seasoning . There are also several herbal medicines, both in Indonesia and in China (TCM), that include dry, ground patchouli leaves as one of the key ingredients.
