Tropical Asian mint relative with broad furry leaves that yield, on drying and ageing, the deep musky patchouli oil that is one of the most enduring fixatives in perfumery.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 10–11 | −1.1 °C to 10 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H1c | 5 °C to 10 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 9 | −1 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 4–7 | 0 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Native to tropical Southeast Asia — major commercial cultivation in Indonesia, India, and the Philippines
- Leaves harvested and dried, then aged — fragrance develops with age, fresh leaves smell faintly grassy rather than musky
- Major fixative ingredient in many traditional and modern perfumes — gives staying power to lighter florals
- Frost-tender — strictly warm-climate cultivation
- Not reliably hardy outdoors in Canada — Canadian zone values shown represent the system maximum and do not imply garden cultivation north of the warmest coastal pockets.
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Patchouli against your zones