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UnderstandWhat it is, what people ask, how far this page goes
Natural organic and biogenic materials · Organic or biogenic material · Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Agarwood
Also known asAloeswood · Eaglewood
Resin-bearing heartwood of trees in the Aquilaria and Gyrinops genera (Thymelaeaceae), not a mineral. Both genera are listed in CITES Appendix II with annotation #14. This page compares how the major standards and institutions name it, what must be disclosed when selling it, whether it can be worn every day, how it is treated and identified, and which source each conclusion comes from.
Price, rarity and origin are outside the scope of this wiki.
What this page can answer
This page covers
- How Agarwood forms and what gives its colourFormation setting, process and timescale, each finding graded and sourced
- How to identify AgarwoodHow far lab testing can go
- Agarwood in English, Chinese and Japanese; national standard namesNames in four languages, the GB/T standard name and the suggested listing name; and: Has any of GIA, FTC, CIBJO or Gem-A put a name for it on record here?
- Listing and disclosing AgarwoodThe listing name to use; what must be disclosed before sale
What we cannot conclude
- Whether one particular bead is natural, treated or synthetic — only a laboratory report can settle that.
- Geographic origin, unless an origin report accompanies the item.
- Price, rarity or investment value: this wiki covers naming and disclosure only.
Material research: formation, causes and history
What authoritative sources say about how this material forms, what causes its colour and optical effects, where its name comes from and how people have used it. Each statement carries an evidence grade and its sources; it describes the material in general, not any specific piece.
How it forms
Agarwood is the resin-impregnated heartwood of trees of the Thymelaeaceae genera Aquilaria and Gyrinops; it is a plant-derived organic material, not a mineral. Its material definition is 'resin-impregnated heartwood of Aquilaria spp. and Gyrinops spp.': the tree grows to form xylem (heartwood), the heartwood becomes resin-impregnated, and the material is harvested and worked for use as incense/material. The cited source is a CITES taxonomic database entry that provides classification and appendix information only, and does not describe the physiological resin-impregnation mechanism, so a mechanistic account of formation remains a gap. CITES records the genus Aquilaria spp. as currently listed in Appendix II.
Scope: Applies to explaining the material definition of agarwood and the CITES Appendix II status of the source tree genera and the genus Aquilaria; not applicable to the formation mechanism, authenticity, grade or locality of a specific sample.
Sources CITES Checklist
Where it forms
Tropical forest habitat of Aquilaria/Gyrinops trees; the material is the tree's heartwood. The cited sources do not describe the habitat further.
Sources CITES Checklist
How it forms, step by step
An Aquilaria/Gyrinops tree grows, forming xylem (heartwood).
The heartwood becomes resin-impregnated, becoming agarwood (the physiological mechanism is not described in the cited sources).
The resinous heartwood is harvested and worked for use as incense/material.
Trade legality is judged against the CITES Appendix II listing and permit requirements.
Link to appearance
Agarwood's appearance and aroma depend on the site and degree of resin impregnation in the heartwood; neither name nor appearance can substitute for material identification.
Sources CITES Checklist
Timescale
The cited sources give no absolute timescale for agarwood formation (resin impregnation).
Sources CITES Checklist
Related base materials
- Aquilaria spp.: CITES II
- Gyrinops spp.: Another agarwood-producing host tree genus (no corresponding source text found)
Recorded localities
This is an organic material; its localities are the harvest or culture areas (waters or species ranges) recorded by authoritative sources.
Asia
- ChinaNatural distribution range of Aquilaria and Gyrinops
Sources PLOS ONE (Feng et al., 2024)
- IndiaNatural distribution range of Aquilaria and Gyrinops
Sources PLOS ONE (Feng et al., 2024)
- LaosNatural distribution range of Aquilaria and Gyrinops
Sources PLOS ONE (Feng et al., 2024)
- CambodiaNatural distribution range of Aquilaria and Gyrinops
Sources PLOS ONE (Feng et al., 2024)
- ThailandNatural distribution range of Aquilaria and Gyrinops
Sources PLOS ONE (Feng et al., 2024)
- Viet NamNatural distribution range of Aquilaria and Gyrinops
Sources PLOS ONE (Feng et al., 2024)
- BangladeshNatural distribution range of Aquilaria and Gyrinops
Sources PLOS ONE (Feng et al., 2024)
- IndonesiaNatural distribution range of Aquilaria and Gyrinops
Sources PLOS ONE (Feng et al., 2024)
Oceania
- Papua New GuineaNatural distribution range of Aquilaria and Gyrinops
Sources PLOS ONE (Feng et al., 2024)
These are localities recorded by authoritative sources, not an origin finding for any individual piece. The CIBJO Gemstone Book (2022, §4.2.3) says a place of origin names where a gem was mined or harvested, is a matter of opinion, does not imply a level of quality, and that cutting, processing or exporting centres must not be used to imply origin. See how far testing can go on this page, the origin determination guide and the overview of recorded localities.
Other research findings
Agarwood is the resin-impregnated heartwood of Aquilaria and Gyrinops trees; it is a plant-derived organic material, not a mineral.
Evidence grade AScope: Naming/material-definition level; the cited source covers only Aquilaria, and Gyrinops has not been verified against a source.
The CITES Checklist lists the genus Aquilaria in CITES Appendix II as a genus listing (Aquilaria spp.), effective 23/02/2023.
Evidence grade AScope: Current CITES Appendix-level status, updated at CoPs. 'Protected' does not mean a total trade ban: Appendix II trade requires permits and evidence of legal origin.
The CITES Checklist records current reservations on the genus Aquilaria by Kuwait, Qatar, Syria and the UAE, effective 12/01/2005, each noted as not applicable to Aquilaria malaccensis — that species had been listed earlier.
Evidence grade AScope: Describes the reservation system and the species' earlier listing; does not infer the legality of any specific trade.
The CITES record used here covers only taxonomy and Appendix status; it does not describe how the resin forms in the tree, so this entry gives no formation mechanism.
Evidence grade CScope: Flags an evidence gap; it does not mean the mechanism is unknowable, only that no such source has been found.
Limits of this research
- Research status: Only partial material-specific findings found; gaps are stated as gaps
- The cited source is a CITES species-database entry; it describes neither the physiological resin-impregnation mechanism nor the chemistry of agarwood.
- The cited source covers only Aquilaria; no source for the Appendix II status of Gyrinops has been found.
- A specimen's authenticity, grade, treatment and origin cannot be judged from the name; testing and legal-origin documents are required.
- CITES Appendix levels are current status and are updated at Conferences of the Parties.
Methodology
- Origin determination and its limits
- Quality grading and value factors
- How gemmology became a technical discipline
Evidence grades
- A
- Standards bodies, government geological surveys, peer-reviewed research and museum records
- B
- Institutional educational material
- C
- Specialist databases or cautious readings
A statement is never graded above its strongest source.
This section is LumaLark's own factual restatement of public authoritative sources, credited item by item; it contains no verbatim excerpts, images or third-party logos.
DecideListing name, disclosure, care and treatments
- Suggested listing name
- Agarwood (resinous wood of Aquilaria and Gyrinops spp., Thymelaeaceae; CITES Appendix II)
CITES Appendices 2026 “THYMELAEACEAE (AQUILARIACEAE)”, #14 · CITES Convention text Article IV(2)
Construction or treatment status
Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Related:Disclosure and cautions
This page cannot answer
Natural? · Origin · Price
A lab report settles these; this wiki covers naming and disclosure.
Related:What this page can answer
Answer at a glance
"Agarwood" is a market name rather than a mineral species name; before using it, verify: Compliance review required before listing.
What this means for you
Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Agarwood (resinous wood of Aquilaria and Gyrinops spp., Thymelaeaceae; CITES Appendix II)" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.
Known uncertainty
- This entry's exact material identity is not fully settled.
- See “Disclosure and cautions” above
- Last reviewed
- 2026-09-01
Trade-name ruling
- Compliance review required before listing.
- Suggested listing name
- Agarwood (resinous wood of Aquilaria and Gyrinops spp., Thymelaeaceae; CITES Appendix II)
VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources
Names
Besides Agarwood, the name register records "Aloeswood" and "Eaglewood", for which no restriction on use as a name is recorded; one further name in a non-Latin script is listed in the name register below (1 with no restriction recorded on use as a name).
Standard and listing namesAgarwood falls outside the scope of the Chinese gem naming standard GB/T 16552—2017, which does not apply to it. The suggested listing name is Agarwood (resin-bearing wood of the Aquilaria/Gyrinops genera, Thymelaeaceae; CITES Appendix II). Trade and mineralogical namesCommon trade names also include a Chinese term for agarwood timber, Aloeswood and Eaglewood. Names in four languagesFour-language names are given in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English (Agarwood) and Japanese. Institution usageOn authority wording, Agarwood is the entry's own English name; the FTC and CIBJO texts on file have no wording for this name (checked), and GIA and Gem-A are unchecked; bodies without a recorded wording show the entry's own English name, which does not represent their position. Japanese namesThe entry has its own Japanese name, and the wording of Japan's GSJ for it is not yet verified by this site. Trade and mineralogical namesThe mineralogical name is registered as the resin-impregnated heartwood of Aquilaria and Gyrinops trees (Thymelaeaceae), a plant-derived organic material, not a mineral.
Name register
Every name recorded for this entry, with how it is classified, whether it may be matched to this entry automatically, whether it may be used as a product name, and the clause it rests on.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Name | Type | Matching | Use as a name | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no restriction recorded (3) | ||||
| AloeswoodEnglish | market name | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | editorial ruling (no clause cited) |
| EaglewoodEnglish | market name | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | editorial ruling (no clause cited) |
| 沉香木Simplified Chinese | market name | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | editorial ruling (no clause cited) |
How each authority words this name: see Names › Authority wording.
- GSJ (Japan) formal name
- 沈香（じんこう）／アガーウッド (not yet checked for this body — the entry's own Japanese name is shown)
- GB/T naming
- not applicable (outside the scope of the Chinese gem naming standard)
- Mineralogical name
- Resin-impregnated heartwood of Aquilaria spp. and Gyrinops spp. (Thymelaeaceae); a plant-derived organic material, not a mineral
- Trade names and synonyms
- Aloeswood (market name) · Eaglewood (market name)
Four-language names
- 简体中文
- 沉香
- 繁體中文
- 沉香
- English
- Agarwood
- 日本語
- 沈香（じんこう）／アガーウッド
See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index
Classification
- Origin
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural organic and biogenic materials
- Browsing family
- Plant-derived materials
- Identity tier
- Organic or biogenic material
- Mineral chemical class
- Not applicable
- Construction or treatment status
- Natural identity; treatment status unknown
What it is and how it's identified
Agarwood is the resin-bearing wood of trees of the genera Aquilaria and Gyrinops, in the family Thymelaeaceae; this definition is taken from a peer-reviewed journal paper (paraphrased here), not from a national or trade standard. The registered magnification finding is that, when thin sections are examined under an optical microscope, the included phloem of genuine Agarwood is filled with brown to dark brown resin and resin deposits also appear in the wood rays; the treatment state is untreated. The finding comes from a single study whose samples covered several countries and producing regions and included laboratory imitations and commercial products; the observation requires thin sections and an optical microscope and cannot be made by looking at the surface of a bead with the naked eye. The researchers also note that in some genuine Agarwood samples the included phloem is not filled with resin, possibly because of a short resin-formation period, unstable induction methods or insufficient primary processing, so this is not necessarily a sign of fakery.
Registered material facts
Each row carries its own source and check date and can be cited on its own; “—” means the cited source gives no value, not “none”.
Definition
Agarwood: the resin-bearing wood of trees of the genera Aquilaria and Gyrinops, in the family Thymelaeaceae.
PLOS ONE (Feng et al., 2024)
- Qualification
Wording from a peer-reviewed journal paper (paraphrased here), not a definition from a national or trade standard; the CITES Appendix II listing of both genera is in the authority section of this page.
Source & check 2026-09-29
- Source
- Feng et al., “Resinous included phloem as a key indicator of authentic or fake agarwood”, PLOS ONE 19(12): e0312102 (2024): Section “Abstract”; Section “Introduction”, first sentence (locator checked 2026-09-29)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-29
Optical
Agarwood — magnification: In thin sections under the light microscope, the included phloem of genuine agarwood is filled with brown to brownish resin, and resin is also deposited in the rays.
PLOS ONE (Feng et al., 2024)
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Qualification
This is the finding of one study, which compared agarwood samples from producing areas in several countries with laboratory fakes and market samples. It needs thin sections and a light microscope, not a look at the surface of a bead.
The same study notes that in some genuine samples the included phloem was not fully filled with resin; the paper's discussion suggests this may relate to a short agarwood-formation time, an unstable induction method or incomplete primary processing, so it is not necessarily faking.
Source & check 2026-09-29
- Source
- Feng et al., “Resinous included phloem as a key indicator of authentic or fake agarwood”, PLOS ONE 19(12): e0312102 (2024): Section “Conclusion” (locator checked 2026-09-29)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-29
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Testing and market
When Agarwood is tested for imitations, some fakes are not agarwood at all and have no included phloem; others are doctored, with included phloem that holds no resin, or with a filler that can be dissolved out. Among the market samples tested in the same study, some had the same microstructure as agarwood but included phloem not fully filled with resin; the paper's discussion suggests that a short resin-formation time, an unstable induction method or incomplete primary processing may all be linked to this, so it is not necessarily fakery. Telling them apart relies on microscopic examination of thin sections, and the study's summary is not an official testing standard. Source: Feng et al., “Identifying genuine agarwood by its resin-filled included phloem” (PLOS ONE, vol. 19, no. 12, e0312102, 2024; title translated by this site).
How far testing can go
Agarwood — how far testing can go (separation): Fakes fall into two groups: wood that is not agarwood at all (it has no included phloem), and doctored wood (it has included phloem but no resin in it, or its filler can be dissolved out).
PLOS ONE (Feng et al., 2024)
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
- Qualification
Among the market samples the same study tested, some had the microstructure of agarwood but included phloem not fully filled with resin; the paper's discussion suggests this may relate to a short agarwood-formation time, an unstable induction method or incomplete primary processing, so it is not necessarily faking.
Telling them apart takes sectioning and microscopy; this is the study's summary, not an official test standard.
Source & check 2026-09-29
- Source
- Feng et al., “Resinous included phloem as a key indicator of authentic or fake agarwood”, PLOS ONE 19(12): e0312102 (2024): Section “Conclusion” (locator checked 2026-09-29)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-29
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Evidence and sources
Authority basis and clause sources
Sources
- CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation. Gemmological Laboratories Book (Blue Book), Gemmological Commission 2024-1.
- CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation. The Gemstone Book (Blue Book), 2022.
- SAMR / SAC (China). GB/T 16552—2017 Gems — Nomenclature.
- CITES Secretariat. Appendices I, II and III, valid from 5 March 2026.
Further reading
Related entries and topic cluster
Parent entry and related pages on this site. Rows marked “Planned” are suggested new content and have no link yet.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Page | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing family | Plant-derived materials | Live |
| Related articles | To be added (placeholder) | Planned |
Who maintains this page
The material facts in the Agarwood entry are maintained by the LumaLark wiki and matched one by one to the standard clauses or institutional sources they cite: every fact carries its source (with a clause or page locator) and a check date, so it can be traced back to the original. The entry exists so that buyers and sellers can check naming, disclosure and material facts item by item.