Aloes Wood, Malacca eagle-wood, Agarwood tree
Aquilaria malaccensis

Family: Thymelaeaceae

What it is like

A small tree. It grows up to 40 m high. It spreads 3-12 m wide. The trunk is pale and thin and smooth. Young shoots are silky. The leaves are alternate and leathery. They are 5-9 cm long and sword shaped. They are pointed and the veins are parallel and faint. The flowers are in white topped clusters. The fruit are 2-4 cm long and egg shaped. They are velvety. The seed are oval and covered with red hairs.

There are 15 Aquilaria species. It is used in medicine.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in tropical and subtropical locations. It needs a temperature above 15-18°C. It grows in primary forest up to 270 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mediterranean, Morocco, Myanmar, North Africa, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore

How it is used for food

It is used to flavour curries.

Edible parts

Seeds, bark, spice

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from fresh ripe seeds. They take 15-30 days to germinate.

Its other names

Local names

Agar, Akyaw, Pohon gaharu malaka, Sasi

Synonyms

Agallochum malaccense (Lam.) Kuntze; Aloexylum agallochum Lour.; Aquilaria agallocha Roxb.; Aquilaria moluccensis Oken; Aquilaria ovata Cav.; Aquilaria secundaria Rumph. ex DC.; Aquilariella malaccensis (Lam.) Tiegh.;