01 · The tree
A tree without scent
The agarwood tree is an evergreen that grows up to 30 m tall. It flowers in March and April and bears fruit in May and June, and it is found in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and neighboring regions. The wood of a healthy tree is pale, light and has no particular scent.
02 · The wound
A wound appears
Lightning, wind, insects or fungi wound the tree. On cultivated farms, people make the wounds by hand and apply a resin-inducing agent. The tree responds by releasing a sticky resin to protect the injured area.
03 · The resin
Resin forms
The resin seeps into the surrounding wood and binds with it. Where resin has formed, the wood turns blackish brown or dark reddish brown and becomes harder and heavier than before.
04 · Time
Maturing over long years
It takes many years for enough resin to accumulate. In the wild this can take decades or even centuries. On cultivated farms, trees are grown for more than 20 years before resin is induced, followed by another 5 years or more of waiting.
05 · Agarwood
The fragrance that sinks
Agarwood tree wood has a specific gravity of around 0.4, so it floats. Agarwood rich in resin, however, becomes dense enough to sink in water. This is the origin of its name, 沈香 (chimhyang): "the fragrance that sinks."
