Personal Use
This is a different essential oil to find in an aromatherapists medicine bag, but it is beyond awesome. Siam Wood essential oil goes by other names! It is also known as Pemou, Po Mu, Fujian Cypress, Coffin Wood, and Bois de Siam. This essential oil is great for both physical and emotional inflammation. We have found it to be very effective in blends for muscle inflammation, arthritis, and rheumatism. It soothes all types of skin inflammations as well. And it is the most effective insect repellent hands down! 1% in a blend will do the trick!
She has been noted as being a neuroendocrine tonic as well as being supportive of the pituitary/adrenal pathway and the pituitary/testes pathway, making this possible an wonderful oil for adrenal fatigue. We have had great results blending this with Black Spruce (Picea mariana) for adrenal issues.
The insect repellant quality comes from the properties of the wood. Siam Wood was once used in Vietnam to build coffins! The wood is resistant to moisture and kept the insects at bay, protecting the physical representation of the dead. Hence, the name coffin wood.
She is also beautiful in perfumery. She carries a soft and powerful base note aroma, similar to Amyris, Sandalwood, and Balsam Copaiba.
Botany
Fokienia is an evergreen tree, 80 to 100 or so feet tall. It has greyish-brownish bark that peels off when the tree is young. On older trees, the bark presents longitudinal fissures and becomes aromatic. The thing that we find fascinating is that Siam Wood is recognized as a single genus! It is the ONLY living species classified in the subfamily Cupressoideae within the family Cuprressaceae.
