Growing Ambrette Seeds for Making Perfume

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Growing Ambrette Seeds for Making Perfume

by  | Oct 13, 2014 | Anya's Garden Perfumes, natural aromatics, Perfume From Your Garden book, raw materials of perfumery | 2 comments

Just a quick post about the progress of my patch of ambrette seed plants. Known as Abelmoschas moschata or (Syn. Hibiscus abelmoschus L.), is prized for food, drink, industrial and medicinal uses, but I prize it for the musk-scented seeds, which are valuable in perfumery. The seeds have a floral, musky scent, and can substitute, in their own way, not identically, the scent of the musk deer grains. They’re a true cruelty-free way to add a musky scent to perfume.

Imagine my surprise when I went out to re-shoot the blurry yellow ambrette flower, and found it had morphed to a lovely salmon color!

There are dozens of flower buds on my 15 plants, but there was only one flower yesterday and today, the first of the patch. I didn’t notice the blurry nature of the first photo until I went inside and uploaded it to my computer, so out I went again, this time to get a clear, sharp photo. I think my mouth dropped open when I saw the color change. This is going to be a fun, rewarding project, and I’ll bet it’ll be full of surprises like this color change, too.

I got the seeds started late, and I think in India, they’re harvesting the seeds now. I can’t wait to document the development of the pods and the harvesting of the seeds. I plan on a much bigger ambrette patch next year.

I’m using only organic fertilizer, as the plant flourishes with it (as do most!) Here’s some more information on the plant, and it may be helpful if you decide to grow some. https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/muskdana.html

Here’s a “long shot” down the Ambrette seed patch. Dozens of flower buds about to open!

2 Comments

  1. Maggie on October 13, 2014 at 6:57 pm (Edit)

    How exciting and how lovely! I look forward to seeing what happens.

    Reply
  2. Susan Meeker-Lowry on October 13, 2014 at 7:19 pm (Edit)

    That is so cool! I grow the herbs I use to make oils, medicinal tinctures. I love the idea of doing the same for perfume. Of course I live in Maine.

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