Aquilaria Seeds | Agarwood, Aloeswood
LATIN NAME: Aquilaria
COMMON NAME: Agarwood, Aloeswood
Plant Profile
Agarwood (Aquilaria) is a genus of evergreen trees of the daphne family (Thymelaeaceae), native to the rainforests of South and Southeast Asia. They are slender trees 6-20 m tall, with simple, glossy leaves and small greenish flowers. When the wood is wounded and infected by certain fungi, the tree produces a dark, fragrant resin — agarwood or oud — one of the most valuable natural aromatics in the world, and the reason several species are now threatened in the wild.
Science & Biotechnology
Aquilaria trees produce agarwood — chen xiang — the most valuable fragrant wood on earth, formed only when the tree responds to fungal infection or wounding by saturating its heartwood with sesquiterpenes and chromones. The Chinese Pharmacopoeia lists the resinous wood as a drug for pain and qi stagnation. Over-harvesting of wild trees led to CITES Appendix II listing for the whole genus, so cultivated and legally inoculated wood is the only ethical source.
Like other members of the Aquilaria group, Aquilaria draws steady attention from botanists and plant breeders, who value the genus both as a subject of research and as a source of garden-worthy material. Wild agarwood-producing Aquilaria populations have faced severe overharvesting pressure, leading to international trade restrictions under CITES and ongoing conservation research into propagating and protecting remaining wild stands. A long cultivation history means growers know what to expect from it.
Uses & Benefits
Agarwood works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. Agarwood is among the most valuable natural raw materials in the world, prized for centuries across the Middle East, South Asia and East Asia for use in incense, perfumery and traditional medicine, with high-grade agarwood commanding extraordinary prices. Because of severe pressure wild harvesting has placed on natural populations, cultivated, plantation-grown Aquilaria trees represent an increasingly important and more sustainable source for global agarwood trade. After the first season it asks for very little beyond a place that suits it.
When aquilaria wood is infected by certain fungi, it produces agarwood, Chen Xiang, the most precious incense wood in the world and a valued Chinese medicinal resin used to move qi and calm the spirit. Sustainable plantation inoculation is now replacing wild harvest.
Growing from Seed
Agarwood is one of those generous plants that come along well from seed. Fresh seed germinates best; sow it promptly into a loose, free-draining tropical mix and keep it warm and consistently humid, since Aquilaria seed does not store well for extended periods. Sow evenly over the surface and cover lightly into a loose, well-drained seed compost, water in gently, and keep the sowing in partial shade with steady moisture. Pot the young plants on as they grow, harden them off gradually, and plant them into their final positions when sturdy.
Our Take
This is a good pick for an ethnobotanical or herb collection, with the caveat that Agarwood’s traditional uses are worth researching carefully before relying on them. Given the right conditions described above, it establishes without any special difficulty.
Related Reading
More species in the same orbit as Agarwood: