Agarwood – “The wood of the Gods”

Agarwood – “The wood of the Gods”

“The wood of the Gods’” – this is the name of agarwood. And many name to call  the infected wood of the Aquilaria trees: Aloes wood, eaglewood, jinkoh, gaharu, oud.

Agarwood has a very long history. It originates in North Eastern India, Bhutan and parts of South East Asia – especially Vietnam and Cambodia – the Philippines, and Indonesia, including Papau New Guinea.

The many names of agarwood in different cultures:

• In Hindi and Urdu, it is known as agar,which is originally Sanskrit, also aguru
• In Bengal, agarwood as known as agar gaach
• In Assamese, it is often called “sasi” or” sashi”
• Agarwood Vietnam is known as Trầm hương in Vietnamese, chénxiāng in Chinese, jinkō in Japanese
• In Europe, another name is Lignum quila – eagle wood, Agilawood because of the similarity in sound of agila.
• Aloeswood is also known a name of agarwood in Europe, But this is potentially confusing,Aloe has medicinal uses.
• Malay and Indonesian, the name is gaharu
• HongKong,they called Aloeswood.
• In Thailand, it is known as “ Mai Kritsana”
• In Myanmar, it is called “ Thit Mhwae”
• In Laos, it is “ Mai Ketsana”
• In Sri Lanka, agarwood is known as “ Walla Patta”

Agarwood is a dark resinous heartwood that forms in Aquilaria and Gyrinops trees when they become infected with a type of mould. The following species of Aquilaria produce agarwood

• Aquilaria khasiana, found in Bangladesh and India.
• Aquilaria apiculina, found in Philippines
• Aquilaria acuminata, found in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia & Philippines
• Aquilaria baillonil, found in Thailand and Cambodia
• Aquilaria baneonsis, found in Vietnam
• Aquilaria beccariana, found inIndonesia
• Aquilaria brachyantha, found in Malaysia
• Aquilaria crassna found in Cambodia,Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam
• Aquilaria cumingiana, found in Indonesia and Malaysia
• Aquilaria filaria, found in New Guinea, theMoluccas, and Mindanao (Philippines)
• Aquilaria grandiflora, found in China
• Aquilaria hirta, found in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia
• Aquilaria malaccensis, found in Malaysia, Thailand, and India
• Aquilaria microcapa, found in Indonesia and Malaysia
• Aquilaria rostrata, found in Malaysia
• Aquilaria sinensis, found in China
• Aquilaria subintegra, found in Thailand

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