Plants will ship Mid-March 🙂
Patchouli, True (Pogostemon cablin) potted plant, organic
$11.00 – $30.50
Family: Mint (Lamiaceae)
Hardy to Zones 10 to 12, normally grown as a potted plant and brought indoors for the winter
(Pogostemon patchouli) Tropical perennial native to Asia. Iconic essence of the Hippie Culture that arose during the 1960’s and dissipated thereafter, leaving little archaeological evidence in its vericolored wake. The patchouli plant (and the reddish essential oil obtained from it) evoke images of sweaty sun and green lawns in Berkeley, the strains of Mr Tambourine man drifting across a lucid landscape, smiles and avocados, lace stockings, violet-paned sunglasses, brown breasts with dancing nipples and matchboxes containing (not matches). Plant prefers full to part shade, moist, rich soils, humidity. The plant thrives under good care but fades fast with neglect–it needs watering almost daily, has zero tolerance for frost and will sunburn if not protected by shade.
Potted plant, certified organically grown
Question
Willow Whyte Lynch –
If I dry & grind the leaves to make incense, will it smell like patchouli incense…?
And/or if I make infused oil of patchouli leaves will that smell like patchouli incense?
I guess my basic question is: is there any way other than making e. o. to get that smell…?
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Richo Cech –
hi willow whyte, nice to hear from you again. the true patchouli fragranc4e does arise from the living plant from time to time, usually under warm, humid conditions. you can bruch your palm over the leaves and get a puff of it. the dried leaves can be used as burnables and in incense. of course the essential oil is way more concentrated, and also develops the characteristic odor largely during the aging process. richo
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Monica (verified owner) –
I live in San Diego, which is Zone 10 and my plant is thriving. I can’t believe it is, because I have done everything wrong. I put it in full sun even in heat waves. I let the soil go dry at times, though I usually priority-watered it. It’s a beauty and it still looks good — new bright green leafy leaves, intense beautiful fragrance and expanding presence. I should not be this lucky, but this is testimony to the quality of this plant. Part of me wants to say if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, but I want this plant to have the best, so I am now moving it to shade and making sure it gets watered daily. I would love to get more.
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Richo Cech –
hi monica, precisely. probably you wouldn’t get so much essential oil if it wasn’t allowed to dry in sun, that is what makes plants respond with eo’s. I have a nice planting of these, too, and its about time to move them back into the greenhouse, which I regret due to the fact that they’ve been so happy outdoors. But frost looms. We’ll try to propagate more for potted plant sales eventually. Slow growing, but everything worthwhile is worth waiting for. richo
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Question
Kali Bear –
How big are the patchouli plants
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Richo Cech –
hello kali, sorry, these are sold out. r
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Christine –
Loved alcohol comment!
Rubbing alcohol 70% works great on a lot of scale. I used it on the cottony cushion scale on my Rio Red grapefruit tree leaves, bark & trunk. Just make sure you do apply to top & bottom of leaves.
I just put it on full strength m, leave it for a few minutes m, don’t let it dry and then rinse over & under with water. Christine
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Brandie (verified owner) –
Excellent plants!!
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Liz –
Is there a medicinal use for patchouli, or is it just nostalgia?!
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Richo Cech –
I do know what you mean–the scent reminds one of loose morality in days gone by. . . Even now, when I find myself under the influence of patchouli, I feel simultaneously relaxed and aroused.
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meganmcgoodwin –
Maybe an obvious question but…does the greenery of the plant smell strongly like the essential oil?
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Richo Cech –
Hello Megan, strangely, it doesn’t. You can grab a fleeting aroma of patchouli on hot and humid days when the plants give off puffs of essential oil. Its a long story, but basically eo of patchouli develops its incredibly sexy odor as a response to aging of the oil. I know herbalists who take their patchouli for a walk, leaving it open and strolling along, to age it. Richo
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Nicole –
These seeds germinated really well! Patchouli plants seem to get tired and scraggly after a few years, as many tender perennials do, so don’t be afraid to start fresh from seed, like I did. They’re tiny seedlings, but healthy!
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Juan Marini (verified owner) –
I’ve been trying to get a patchouli plant for years since I lost one I had. One of the reasons that I did not buy on online was the poor reports that I read around the internet. Many comments are about how small they are when shipped and that they need to be nursed back to life. I was pleasantly surprised with the two plants I bought, not only they are of a decent size but they seem to be in very healthy condition.
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