In literary and biblical imagery, spikenard usually refers to the aromatic oil made from the roots of a Himalayan plant, Nardostachys jatamansi, also called nard. Its rare, rich scent made it a traditional emblem of preciousness and intimate affection. Poets may use spikenard to evoke perfume, gardens, the beloved, religious reverence, or the poignant act of anointing someone before death.

Spikenard appears prominently in the Bible, including the account in which Mary anoints Jesus with costly nard, giving the plant associations with devotion, sacrifice, and burial. The word may refer either to the plant itself or, more commonly in older poetry and religious writing, to its perfumed oil. Do not confuse biblical spikenard with American spikenard, a different North American plant in the ginseng family. Related poetic images include myrrh, frankincense, rose, balm, and other fragrant substances associated with love, ritual, and wealth. The name comes through Latin and Greek forms of “nard,” ultimately connected to an ancient term for the aromatic plant.