# Frankincense, Boswellia sacra



## TimV (Dec 20, 2011)

Well it's not much, but given the difficulty of getting the thing even a half inch tall took a mighty effort  so anyway, my horticultural contribution to the season, except for the grinches out there  who might want to wait a few months before reading this thread 

Frankincense comes from the dried sap of this tree, _Boswellia sacra_. They only grow in a very few, very arid regions where there's lots of dew in the morning but very little water and no frost. Oh, and the soil has to be a degraded limestone, and it must be boiling hot in the summer. So that's why the stuff has been so insanely valuable throughout history, as only, like, the Sultan of Oman gets the best for his personal stash rare. And germination is really bad; only one out of the 5 seeds I bought came up.

It's used for incense of course, and there are medical uses. You wound the tree occasionally to harvest the dried sap, but only after the plant is really old. Anyway, here's what it looks like:







Hmm. evidently my pbase server is acting up. So you can see it here:
http://www.pbase.com/beekeeper/image/140449995


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## seajayrice (Dec 20, 2011)

Nice, a favorite aroma. The essential oil has medicinal qualities beyond the aromatic. I use it with coconut oil to assuage Seborrheic dermatitis.


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## TimV (Dec 20, 2011)

Serious? I'm always on the lookout for legit links to the qualities of the plants I grow. Thanks!


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## seajayrice (Dec 20, 2011)

Indeed, have used the essential oil off and on for many years to lessen the effects of dermatitis. With dermatitis, few compounds work well for long. Frankincense does better than most and without side effects. Plus the aroma is heavenly . . .


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## rbcbob (Dec 21, 2011)

Just noticed this headline in the London Telegraph:

Frankincense could disappear from church services - Telegraph


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## MarieP (Dec 21, 2011)

rbcbob said:


> Just noticed this headline in the London Telegraph:
> 
> Frankincense could disappear from church services - Telegraph



As long as grapes, grain, and water never become extinct...


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## N. Eshelman (Dec 21, 2011)

Beautiful, Tim. I am wondering if it will grow in CA outdoors?


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## Unoriginalname (Dec 21, 2011)

rbcbob said:


> Just noticed this headline in the London Telegraph:
> 
> Frankincense could disappear from church services - Telegraph



First i read something similar today, second what churches use frankincense?


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## JML (Dec 21, 2011)

rbcbob said:


> Just noticed this headline in the London Telegraph:
> 
> Frankincense could disappear from church services - Telegraph



Looks like they did their Bible research for the article. 3 wise men? Gift to the newborn baby Jesus?


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## TimV (Dec 21, 2011)

> I am wondering if it will grow in CA outdoors?



I think the winter rains would do them in. It's all I can do to keep the thing alive in the greenhouse 

---------- Post added at 09:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:06 AM ----------




> As long as grapes, grain, and water never become extinct...



What have you been drinking lately Marie, you naughty girl!!


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## MarieP (Dec 21, 2011)

TimV said:


> What have you been drinking lately Marie, you naughty girl!!



ROFL!!!!!!!! I meant in the context of the sacraments of the church, but that was hilarious!!!!!


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