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Patchouli
Pogostemon cablin
This herb is native to India and Malaysia, and is cultivated in India and
the Far East for its heavy, long-lasting essential oil. It was fashionable
in Europe in the 1860s, and made a comeback during the Hippie
movement of the 1960s and 70s. Patchouli is an upright, bushy, tender
evergreen. In temperate climates,
it is kept indoors in the winter, where it grows happily as long as the
night temperature is 50 or above, and brought outside for the summer, where
it can grow as much as 3 feet high by 3 feet wide. It likes to live in rich,
moist soil with high humidity, in part shade. To harvest, the branches are
cut and the leaves dried, 2 or 3 times a season. The parts that are used are
the leaves and the essential oil.
USES
Medicinal
Patchouli is an astringent, antiseptic, warming herb with a long-lasting
heavy sandalwood-mint aroma.
Leaves - Internally for colds, headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting,
abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Leaves and Oil - Externally for halitosis, snake bite, fungal skin
infections, weeping eczema, acne, chapped skin, varicose veins,
hemorrhoids, and impetigo.
Oil - Used in Aromatherapy for nervous exhaustion, anxiety, depression,
stress-related complaints, dry and mature skin, and low libido. Patchouli
mixes well with Basil, Bergamot, Geranium, Juniper, Lavender, Myrrh,
Neroli, Pine and Rose. Small quantities are uplifting, larger doses are
sedative.
Economic
Oil - Of major importance in perfumery, also in toiletries, cosmetics,
breath fresheners, incense, insecticides and disinfectants, and in
commercial food flavoring.
Leaves - added to potpourris.
(some information obtained from “Encyclopedia of Herbs” by
Deni Brown and "The Complete
Book of Herbs“, by Leslie Bremness)
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