Patchouli leaves should be ready to harvest 5 to 6 months after planting. You'll also know the plant is ready for harvest when the branches start to turn slightly brown and the plant begins to emit an aroma.

What can I do with fresh patchouli?

They can be easily dried by spreading them in a single layer on a screen, in a well-ventilated space out of direct sunlight . Once the leaves are completely dried, they can be added to potpourri, or ground to use in incense. Patchouli has been used for thousands of years as an incense ingredient.

Does patchouli come back every year?

Patchouli grows as a perennial shrub in its native tropics, where it thrives in dappled light as an understory plant in teakwood forests. But in all likelihood, you will be growing it as a houseplant or an annual in the garden.