Recently at an outdoor rally, a familiar aroma hit my senses. It has been a long time since I smelled patchouli oil, but there it was conjuring all kinds of memories from my youth. Patchouli is an aroma often connected to life in the ’60s and there I was again. Not everyone who lived through that patchouli-soaked era has fond memories of that period or the fragrance, but the scent brought a smile to my face. Our brains are capable of storing aromatic memories for many years and this remembered scent reminded me of people, places and events from 50 years ago.
The good news for those who want to recapture some of the charm of hippie culture is that you can grow an attractive patchouli plant in your garden. It’s a lovely small shrub that grows well here. Several different varieties offer potent as well as mildly aromatic choices.
Patchouli is a bushy herb in the Lamiaceae or mint family. It has the square stem and soft leaves characteristic of the family but with a very different scent. Patchouli’s name comes from the Tamil words patchai for green and ellai for leaf. Two varieties in the Pogostemon genus are the ones most often cultivated for the oil in their leaves. P. cablin and P. heyneasus both produce have fragrant patchouli oil in their leaves. Of these two P. cablin definitely has a more potent fragrance.
Pogostemon heyneasus or Java patchouli, is native to Indonesia, Malaysia and other tropical regions of Asia. Its popularity has spread throughout the tropics for its appealing growth habit as well as its attractive flowers. Pogostemon cablin or true patchouli is also native to tropical regions in south Asia. Today, it is extensively cultivated throughout Asia as well as in several Caribbean islands.
All varieties of patchouli grow as small, bushy shrubs that can reach three feet high in ideal conditions. The inflorescence of each variety is slightly different. The Java variety has lovely small purple flowers that grow in a compact cluster at the ends of flowering stems. Though P. cablin seems to produce more leaves and flower spikes, the small light lavender or white blossoms are more sparsely arranged on the stems. Though the flowers are attractive, it is the leaves that contain the scented oil. To bring the fragrance of patchouli to your garden and extract the scented oil from the plant, P.cablin is the best choice.
Patchouli grows well in the tropics. It thrives in hot weather but not in direct sun. The plants prefer humid growing conditions and can wilt in dry conditions but will revive quickly once watered. The fragrant and attractive flowers usually appear here in winter when days are shorter. Once spent, the flowers will occasionally produce seeds. The seeds are tiny and delicate but can be planted if care is taken not to crush them.
Propagation from cuttings is much more reliable. A 4- to 6-inch cutting can be rooted in water or in a propagating medium. A moist mixture of vermiculite and perlite is the recommended medium. If your plant produces seeds or if you choose to buy some from the internet, they should be sparsely sprinkled on top of a damp seeding mix and pressed lightly into the soil. Kept in a shady area that is warm and moist, they should germinate in two to three weeks. Once they have a set of true leaves you can move them to larger pots or into your garden. Within a few months you can begin harvesting leaves for sachets or oil extraction.
Patchouli plants are not usually attacked by pests. The aromatic oil they contain keeps most insects at bay. In shady areas, the plants can become leggy and may require pruning to retain their compact growth habit. Though patchouli plants are tolerant of many soil types, maintaining a layer of mulch around the plant as well as occasional introductions of compost or organic fertilizers can encourage leaf production and flowering.
For those who find patchouli’s aroma attractive, the uses of the leaves or the oil distilled from them are numerous. Though we may like the scent, insects do not. Patchouli leaves can act as an insect repellent. The earthy odor harbored in the leaves can be released by crushing them to use in sachets. They also make wonderfully aromatic bathing herbs and can be used in aromatherapy to relive stress. Dried leaves can be used in potpourris or burned as incense. The deep musky scent is also considered a sexual attractant.
Though patchouli oil is extracted commercially through distillation, you can make your own at home by diffusing dried leaves in oil. Fill a clean dry jar with dried patchouli leaves and pour oil over the dried leaves. Sweet almond or jojoba oils are lighter than olive oil, but any light oil will work. Cap the jar tightly and place it in a saucepan full of water that has just boiled. Once the water cools, you can remove the jar and store it in the sun for a few days then a cool, dry place for about 30 days. Be sure to shake it daily to help the aroma disperse. After about a month, pour the mixture though a cheesecloth filter to strain out the remaining leaves.
The resulting oil can be used as a perfume, deodorant or massage oil and can be mixed with other oils like lavender to enhance its therapeutic properties as a treatment for your hair and scalp or to provide healing and prevent scarring of your skin. In its distilled form, patchouli oil can be used medicinally as an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial or antiviral agent. Check the internet for the numerous uses for patchouli oil.
Whether you grow patchouli for its fragrance or simply for its attractive appearance, it will add a plant to your garden that might remind you of times past or serve you today in many ways. Some patchouli varieties are available locally and seed for Pogostemon heyeanus and P. cablin are available, though expensive, online.
Diana Duff is a plant adviser, educator and consultant living part time in Kailua-Kona.
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Gardening Events
Every Saturday: “Work Day at Amy Greenwell Garden” from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Meet at the Garden Visitor Center across from the Manago Hotel in Captain Cook. Come with a mask and be prepared to practice social distancing. Volunteers can help with garden maintenance and are invited to bring a brown baglunch. Water and snacks provided. Call Peter at (808) 323-3318 for more information.
Nov. 18: “Invasive Pest Mini-Conference” from 9:30 to 11:50 a.m. online. Speakers from around the island will talk about invasive plant species. Contact roshanm@hawaii.edu for more information. Register at Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/3vrYqve.
Farmer Direct Markets (check websites for the latest hours and online markets)
Wednesday: “Ho‘oulu Farmers Market” at Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa at Keauhou Bay
Saturday: “Keauhou Farmers Market” 8 a.m. to noon at Keauhou Shopping Center. Information on their online market: keauhoufarmersmarket.com/onlinemarket
“Kamuela Farmer’s Market” 7:30 a.m. to noon at Pukalani Stables
“Waimea Town Market” 7:30 a.m. to noon at the Parker School in Waimea
“Waimea Homestead Farmers Market” from 7:30 a.m. to noon at the Waimea middle and elementary school playground
Sunday: “Pure Kona Green Market” 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Amy Greenwell Garden in Captain Cook
“Hamakua Harvest” 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Highway 19 and Mamane Street in Honoka’a
Plant Advice Lines
Anytime: konamg@ctahr.hawaii.edu; Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon at UH-CES in Kainaliu at (808) 322-4893.