Australijski oud

What it is

Agarwood is a resinous heartwood used for perfume and incense. The resin forms in the tree in response to infection.

Origin

Aquilaria is a genus of trees that includes 21 species native to southeast Asia. Aquilaria crassna, a species native to Southeast Asia, has been cultivated in tropical Australia. Significant transplant stress during establishment has been a feature of contemporary plantings in Australia.

Formation

Healthy Aquilaria trees do not form agarwood. A tree that is infected by a mould produces a self-defence material to conceal damage or infection. A common method in planted forestry is to inoculate trees with the fungus. The formation of agarwood is lengthy and could take up to 10 years.

The aromatic qualities of agarwood are influenced by the species, geographic location, length of time since infection, and methods of harvesting and processing.

Chemistry

The composition of agarwood oil is exceedingly complex, with more than 150 chemical compounds identified. At least 70 of them are terpenoids, in the form of sesquiterpenes and chromones, and no monoterpenes have been detected at all. The exact balance varies with the age and species of the tree and the details of the oil extraction process.

Regulation

In 2004 all Aquilaria species were listed in CITES Appendix II, although a number of countries have outstanding reservations about that listing. The planting of Aquilaria trees is tightly regulated by the representatives of CITES in each member country.

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Related: Agarwood Oil · Agarwood Oud · Cambodian Oud · Chinese Oud · Indian Oud · Indonesian Oud · Laotian Oud · Malaysian Oud