Spikenard Essential Oil, a Portal to the Past

Welcome back to Harvesters’ Corner! We are fast approaching the season of spring, a time of renewal and rebirth of hope. For people of the Christian faith around the world, this time includes the holiday of Easter. Today’s oil is loosely associated with the Easter season due to an event that took place roughly a week prior to death and resurrection of the Christ. The source for the following verses is the King James Version of the Holy Bible. Jesus was at Bethany, a village a few miles from Jerusalem, in the house of his friends Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, when the following event took place. “Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?” (1)

Don’t worry, we are not going to get into a theological discussion here, nor are we going to get into the Spikenard/Lavender dispute as quite frankly, the material presently available does not support a conclusive answer to that particular debate. Rather, my purpose in presenting the above section is to simply introduce the subject of this blog—Spikenard. I will state in passing that Pliny does specify in his Natural History that the 100 denarii/pound Spikenard used in Roman times did originate from India. (2) Many pounds of product would have been used to create cosmetics including ointments similar to what Mary possessed, and the lotion-like unguents used by the upper class in Rome.

Spikenard is... What? 

What exactly is Spikenard? Based on the above references we can see that it was an expensive product in Roman times and that it came from India. Spikenard, specifically Nardostachys Jatamansi, is a flowering plant in the same family as honeysuckle. It can be found in India, Nepal, and China, growing in the high altitudes between 9,800 feet and 16,400 feet (3,000 to 5,000 meters). Spikenard grows from a rhizome with a stem reaching three feet (1 meter) above the ground. This stem blossoms with small, pink bell-shaped flowers. Yet neither the flowers nor the leaves are what we are interested in. Rather, our primary concern is the root, or rhizome, of the plant. We will discuss the rhizome in more detail later in this blog. Spikenard is also known as Nard, Nardin, and Muskroot, the latter a reference to the oil’s scent. (3)

A point of fact that we need to address from the start that the modern-day Spikenard essential oil is very different from the unguents used in Roman times. I understand that there are probably many people who are not familiar with unguents. The best way to picture an unguent is to think of either a lotion or a cold cream being used to moisturize the skin. The Romans would have created their unguents and other oil-like products (like ointments) by soaking either dried leaves or roots of the plant in olive oil. Once the mixture was ready, the scented material would be placed in alabaster jars, such as Mary possessed, or in circular tins depending on how fluid the end product was. The Spikenard oil of today is processed through steam distillation to produce an amber-colored oil with a thick consistency.

As indicated above, Spikenard was traditionally used to anoint people of high honor. (4) It was also used extensively as a perfume, a traditional medicine, or in religious ceremonies. Some of the early uses were cosmetic in nature. Jars of Spikenard ointment have been found in the tombs of the Egyptian Pharaohs as well as the wealthy of Rome. In ancient Rome, nardus was used to flavor wine, and the leaves occur frequently in the recipes of Apicius as a spice. Nardus was the main ingredient of the perfume unguentum nardinum, likely the bottle Mary used to wash Jesus’ feet. There are many modern-day uses for Spikenard including perfume, anti-perspirants, lotions, lipsticks, soaps (both solid and liquid), shampoos and conditioners, body washes, detergents, potpourri, and incense. Spikenard also helps create an uplifting mood and can help mentally ground a person.

Areas where Wintergreen and Spikenard are harvested in Nepal

Unfortunately, Spikenard has followed in the footsteps of many aromatic plants being used by humans. Overharvesting and habitat degradation throughout the centuries has resulted in Spikenard being strictly regulated and protected throughout its growing range. After much time and effort, doTERRA chose to source its Spikenard from Nepal, a decision that provides much-needed income to harvesters and distillers in remote areas of the country, as well as enabling rural community development projects (5). The communities that harvest the Spikenard are different from those harvesting wintergreen, which grows at a lower altitude, providing more options for sustainable impact throughout the overall economy. (6)

Harvesting in less than three weeks??

The harvest season for Spikenard lasts a short fifteen to twenty days. The rhizomes are harvested in the wild, meaning that the women head out daily and climb the rocky foothills of the Himalya, their woven baskets on their back, to search out plants to be harvested. As they go about gathering the rhizomes, they take care to return at least at least ten percent of an individual rhizome back into the ground to ensure a new plant will grow for the next year. Once the root has been harvested, it is allowed to dry prior to the distillation process. (7). Emily Wright, Founding Executive and present Chair of the Board of doTERRA, shared some thoughts concerning the future of Spikenard, when she stated, “The exciting thing is we are working with the Nepali people now to cultivate this plant which means we get to create even more jobs and get to teach them about how to make sure that Spikenard continues to grow and flourish in their country.” (8) Co-Impact Sourcing is stimulating the expansion and growth of cooperatives, so the harvesters have better access to distilleries as well.

The chemistry of Spikenard is very unique. In fact, it presents one of the most complicated oil chemistry profiles of any essential oil. Testing has revealed nearly 170 different components in this oil, with most of these molecules existing in miniscule amounts. Yet each component combines together to give the end product its unique properties. Dr. David Hill, Founding Executive, Chief Medical Officer and Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board, has remarked concerning Spikenard, “One of the things that I love about Spikenard is the diversity of its chemistry. Over ninety percent of that chemistry exists on an average of less than one percent.” (9) With such a diversity in molecules, there should be little wonder as to why Spikenard has such a powerful effect on the mind.

Spikenard has a strong musky aroma when first smelled. The secondary aromas once perceived are where the beauty of the oil shines through. This fascinating oil blends well with other essential oils. You can pair it with woody oils like Clove, Frankincense, Juniper Berry, Myrrh, or Vetiver. Spikenard also pairs well with floral essential oils like Geranium, Lavender, Rose, Ylang Ylang, and Jasmine. Because of its unique aroma, Spikenard essential oil also pairs well with refreshing citrus oils like Wild Orange. (10)

Because of the strict regulation where harvesting is concerned, there are times of the year when Spikenard may not be available for purchase. Be patient. As the harvesters learn how to better cultivate the rhizomes, the supply will soon be able to increase. We have the power to help support this new, creative approach to Spikenard’s sustainability by supporting Co-Impact Sourcing and the Healing Hands Foundation, as well as by purchasing spikenard oil when available.

Thank you for your interest in Spikenard. I hope you will join us next time here at Harvesters’ Corner, when we take a deeper look into the importance of an oil being Certified Pure Tested Grade (CPTG) and discuss the types of testing that are undertaken to help ensure that the oils labeled as “CPTG” are truly free of any adulteration. Until that time, have a fantastic spring!

Sources

1.    John 12: 3-5. King James Version.

2.    In Book XII, “The Natural History of Trees,” Pliny records “A root and a leaf, however, are the productions which are held in the very highest estimation in India. The root is that of the costus…Of the leaf, which is that of the nard, it is only right to speak somewhat more at length, as it holds the principal place among our unguents…the price of spikenard is one hundred denarii per pound.”  (chapters 25, 26). See Bostok, John M.D., F.R.S., H.T Riley, Esq., B.S., Ed. “Pliny the Elder, The Natural History.” Online. < https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/ text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0137%3Abook%3D12%3Achapter%3D25>. Accessed 28 February 2025.

3.    Nathan Adelson Hospice. “Spikenard Essential Oil.” Online <https://www.nah.org/blog/spikenard-essential-oil>. Accessed 23 Feb 2025.

4.    doTERRA. “The Blog: Spikenard” Online. <https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/science-research-news-spikenards-diverse-chemistry>. Accessed 23 February 2025.

5.    Ibid.

6.    doTERRA. “Source To You: Sourcing Spikenard” Video, 12 November 2016. YouTube. Accessed 28 February 2025.

7.    Ibid.

8.    Ibid.

9.    Ibid

10. doTERRA. “The Blog: Spotlight on Spikenard” Online. <https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/spotlight-spikenard-oil>. Accessed 23 February 2025.

Disclaimer

All views on Harvesters’ Corner are those of the author. I am a Wellness Advocate with dōTERRA, and I use the essential oils daily. Any purchases made through my affiliate link may earn me a commission. The oils are not intended to treat or cure any illness.