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| Aquilaria
agallocha |
Agarwood |
Thymelaeceae |
| Agarwood is a
resinous wood that sometimes occurs in trees belonging to the
Aquilaria genus, Thymelaeceae family. Aquilaria is a fast-growing,
archaic tropical forest tree, which occurs in South and Southeast
Asia, from the foothills of the Himalayas to the rainforests of Papua
New Guinea. The tree grows in natural forests at an altitude of a few
meters above sea level to about 1000 meters, and it grows best around
500 meters. It can grow on a wide range of soils, including poor sandy
soil. Seedlings need a lot of shade and water. Trees grow very fast,
and start producing flowers and seeds as early as four years old. At
least fifteen species of Aquilaria trees are known to produce the much
sought-after Agarwood. In South Asia Aquilaria achalloga is found,
particularly in India, Aquilaria malaccensis is mostly known from
Malaysia and Indonesia, and Aquilaria crassna principally grows in
Indochina. A number of other species are known such as Aquilaria
grandfolia, Aquilaria chinesis etc. |
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Scientific Name: Aquilaria agallocha
Country of Origin: India
Distillation Method: CO2 Extraction
Aloeswood/agarwood oil is obtained from the Aquilaria tree, an evergreen tree
native to northern India, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. |
| The aquilaria tree produces a resin when it responds to a natural parasite
fungal or mold attack. The tree can also be deliberately wounded to make it
more susceptible to a fungal attack, however this produces a inferior resin.
The fungus and decomposition process generates a very rich and dark resin
forming within the heartwood. This is a very slow process that can take
several hundred years. That is why this oil is so rare and so expensive. |
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