Roots
The roots of trees and plants are often richly
aromatic: earthy, sweet and vibrant.
Agastache (Haiso-koh)
Fragrance: Its fragrance is herbaceous, sweet, floral, vanilla, citrus, spicy.
Note: Middle
East Asian Element: Earth
Western Element: Fire
East Asian Season: Summer
Western Season: Spring
Agastache Radix, better known as Agastache Rugosa is the only Agastache native to Asia.
It is also known as Chinese magnolia, Wrinkled Giant Hyssop and Korean Mint, and it is an easily propagated aromatic perennial that bears violet to pink flowers.
It originated in Iran and India, and the roots are used as an ingredient in Japanese incense.
It is used extensively in Asian cuisine, and medicinally to relieve nausea, vomiting and poor appetite.
Incense with Agastache
Incense containing agastache has sold out.
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Ginger Lily (San-na)
Connectedness, Cleansing/Refreshing, Uplifting, Energising, Creativity, Grounding
Fragrance: The roots release a warm, floral-woody, spicy and sweet aroma that lingers when warmed.
Note: Base
East Asian Element: Wood
Western Element: Fire
East Asian Season: Spring
Western Season: Spring/Summer
Astrology: Leo, Aries, Sagittarius, Virgo
Planet: Sun
Ginger Lily (Hedychium coronarium) is of the ginger family with fragrant, delicate, orchid-like flowers. It is native to Vietnam and also grows in China and India.
Culinary ginger (Zingiber officinale) is from the same family but is a different species and genus. Although the tuberous roots are edible, they are not flavourful and not used as a food.
The roots are used in incense formulas.
Liquorice Root (Kan-zo)
Connectedness, Comforting, Uplifting, Mental Clarity, Balancing
Fragrance: It is sweet, spicy, woody, green, fruity and herbaceous.
Note: Top
East Asian Element: Earth
Western Element: Earth
East Asian Season: Summer
Western Season: Summer
Liquorice root is the root of a perennial flowering plant (Glycyrrhiza glabra) of the bean family.
It is native to Western Asia, North China and Southern Europe. For centuries, it has been used medicinally and as part of the cuisine of many cultures.
Liquorice has a very recognisable fragrance and is used to describe other scents. Although the sweet, aromatic flavour extracted from the root has similar flavour compounds to anise and fennel, they are not related.
The scent of liquorice root comes from a complex and variable combination of compounds, including anethole. Anethole is found in essential oils and contributes to the fragrance of anise, fennel, myrtle, magnolia and star anise.
Liquorice root is a digestive tonic. It is antimicrobial and antifungal.
Incense with Liquorice
Incense containing liquorice has sold out.
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Rhubarb (dai-oh)
Fragrance: The thick, oval-shaped roots have an earthy, fruity and sweet aroma when warmed.
Note: Middle
East Asian Element: Water
Western Element: Water
East Asian Season: Winter
Western Season: Spring
Astrology: Scorpio
Planet: Mars
Rhubarb root (Rheum palmatum) grows wild in the mountains of Tibet and northern China.
It has a yellow interior and brown exterior and a more robust aroma than cultivated rhubarb. It is a traditional ingredient in Japanese incense formulas.
Although it grows wild, it has been cultivated in China for medicinal use as a laxative and to treat digestive issues since 2700 BC.
It is also used in desserts and salads and as a dye for both fabric and hair.
It contains toxins that make it a nephrotoxic, toxic to the kidneys, and needs careful preparation before use.
Incense with Rhubarb
Saussurea (Mokkoh)
Fragrance: It is woody, earthy and violet scented.
Note: Middle
East Asian Element: Water
Western Element: Air
East Asian Season: Winter
Western Season: Spring
Saussurea is a flowering herbaceous perennial, part of the thistle family within the daisy family.
It grows in high alpine regions including Tibet, Cashmere and Yunnan. Since ancient times, the root of the Costus plant has been used in perfumery and as incense throughout the East. It’s a robust decorative plant, adapted to harsh climates.
It is used in Tibetan and Chinese herbal medicine for altitude sickness, and as an anti-inflammatory, antifatigue and analgesic for various conditions.
Incense with Saussurea
Incense containing saussurea has sold out.
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Spikenard (Kansho)
Connectedness, Uplifting, Energising, Mental Clarity, Balancing, Grounding
Fragrance: The scent of the roots is earthy, musky, sweet and woody.
Note: Base
East Asian Element: Earth
Western Element: Fire
East Asian Season: Summer
Western Season: Spring
Astrology: Taurus, Sagittarius, Pisces
Planet: Moon, Venus
Nardostachys jatamansi is a small perennial from the Valerianaceae family grows in the Himalayas and the mountains of Himachal Pradesh, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Tibet and western China.
The essential oil extracted from the roots contains the chemicals Nardostachys, which has a sedative effect, patchouli alcohol also found in patchouli leaves, and borneol acetate similar to that found in borneol camphor.
It has been used as a fragrant oil throughout the region since ancient times, and is a traditional ingredient in Japanese incense.
Its status on the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is vulnerable, and harvesting and export are strictly regulated.
Medicinally it is an astringent, used as a digestive, a calmative for nerves and skin conditions, and for treating depression and insomnia.
