Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index Patchouli is both a plant and an essential oil derived from the leaves of that plant. The scent of patchouli is very strong, and some people find it offensive. It has been used for centuries in perfumes. Patchouli oil and incense underwent a surge in popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, mostly by devotees of the free love and hippie lifestyles. This article is from Wikipedia. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.