Patchouli oil is extracted from the young leaves which are dried and fermented prior to steam distillation and yields 2 - 3 %. This oil improves with age to have a fuller, more well rounded odor. It is a perennial, bushy plant that grows up to 1meter (3 feet) high, with a sturdy, hairy stem and large, fragrant, furry leaves, about four inches long and five inches across. It has whitish flowers tinged with purple. The plant is native to Malaysia and India, where it is known as 'puchaput'. The word is derived from Hindustan word 'patch' meaning 'green' and 'ilai' meaning 'leaf.'It was placed between Indian cashmere shawls en route to Victorian England, to protect the merchandise from moths, and without this signature smell of dried patchouli leaves the shawls could not be sold in England. In the East, it is used in potpourris and sachets and place between linen, to keep bedbugs away, and it is the smell of patchouli oil, mixed with that of camphor, that gives Indian ink its characteristic smell. Note -The information in product description is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used to replace the care of a qualified physician. This data is not considered complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate for all applications.