Frankincense is the resin most people picture when they hear the word, and the one every incense tradition from Rome to Kyoto has burned. It is a gum resin from Boswellia trees that grow in some of the driest, hottest places on earth, and it burns better than almost anything else.
The trees and the origins
Boswellia is a genus of small, tough trees in the Burseraceae, the same family as myrrh, copal and elemi. The main frankincense species:
- Boswellia sacra — Oman (Dhofar) and Yemen. The classic frankincense of antiquity. Its pale, greenish “Hojari” grades are the most prized in the world.
- Boswellia carterii and B. frereana — Somalia. B. carterii is the bulk church-incense frankincense; B. frereana (“Maydi”, “Coptic frankincense”) gives large pale tears with a distinct, almost cedary character and is chewed as gum in the Gulf.
- Boswellia papyrifera — Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan. The largest volume producer today; sweeter, rounder, more “incense-like”.
- Boswellia serrata — India. Greener, sharper, more turpentine-like; the source of most frankincense essential oil sold cheaply and of the Ayurvedic extract salai guggul.
Harvest and grades
Trees are tapped by cutting shallow strips of bark; the milky sap hardens into tears over weeks and is scraped off. A tree is tapped several times a season. Grades depend on colour, size and cleanliness: pale, translucent, large tears at the top; yellow and orange in the middle; dark, dusty siftings at the bottom. Omani Hojari has its own hierarchy (royal or “green” Hojari being the most expensive). For burning, mid grades are excellent value; the top grades are for chewing, water infusions and the pleasure of it.
Scent
Frankincense is a fresh resin. Lemon and orange peel, a pine-like resinous note, black pepper, and underneath a soft, slightly sweet balsamic warmth. On the burner the citrus lifts first, then the resinous body. Compared with benzoin it is bright rather than sweet; compared with myrrh it is light rather than deep. Most people find it the most immediately pleasant of all resins, which is why it anchors so many blends.
Chemistry in brief
The essential oil (5–10 % of the resin) is mostly monoterpenes: alpha-pinene, limonene, alpha-thujene, and in B. sacra and B. carterii a little of the incense acetate and octyl acetate that give the “Omani” character. The non-volatile fraction is largely boswellic acids, triterpenes of pharmacological interest. The gum fraction (20–30 %) is what makes frankincense partly water-soluble and gives its milky infusion.
Uses
Incense. The universal resin: Catholic and Orthodox censers, Arabian bakhoor, Japanese blends, Ethiopian coffee ceremonies, Tibetan and Indian temples. It burns cleanly on charcoal with a white smoke and little acridity. Alone it is complete; with myrrh it is the classic pair; with benzoin it gains sweetness. See How to burn resin incense.
Perfumery. Frankincense essential oil and absolute are used for their bright, resinous, slightly smoky character in orientals, chypres and modern “incense” perfumes. It is a heart-to-base note rather than a heavy fixative.
Chewing and infusion. In Oman and Somalia frankincense is chewed like gum and steeped in water as a bitter tonic. The tradition is old; the medical claims attached to it are mostly unproven.
Medicine and research. Boswellic acids have anti-inflammatory activity in laboratory studies, and standardized B. serrata extracts are sold as supplements. Evidence in humans is limited and mixed.
Sustainability
Frankincense is under real pressure. Over-tapping weakens trees and reduces seedling survival; grazing and land conversion take the rest. Studies of B. papyrifera stands in Ethiopia project steep declines without changes in management. Buying from suppliers who source from managed harvests and pay for quality is the one lever consumers have.
Buying
Whole tears, pale and clean, from a supplier who names species and origin. Avoid “frankincense” powder of unknown origin and anything sold with medical promises. For burning, Somali B. carterii or Ethiopian B. papyrifera mid grades are the best value; for the full Omani experience, a small quantity of Hojari.
Frequently asked questions
What does frankincense smell like?
Fresh, lemony and resinous, with a peppery, slightly balsamic warmth. On the burner it is bright and clean. Boswellia sacra from Oman is the most citrusy; Boswellia serrata from India is greener and more turpentine-like; Boswellia papyrifera from Ethiopia is sweeter and more incense-like.
Is frankincense the same as olibanum?
Yes. Olibanum is the older trade and pharmacy name, from Arabic al-lubān. Frankincense is the English name, from Old French 'franc encens', 'high-quality incense'.
Why is frankincense expensive?
Top grades from Oman are hand-sorted from small harvests in a few valleys of Dhofar. Bulk grades from Somalia and Ethiopia are far cheaper. Over-tapping and instability in the Horn of Africa have pushed prices up in recent years.
Sources & further reading
- frankincense
- olibanum
- boswellia
- incense
