Frankincense and myrrh both come from the hardened sap of small, rugged trees that grow in some of the hottest, driest landscapes on Earth. Frankincense is harvested from trees in the genus Boswellia, while myrrh comes from trees in the genus Commiphora. Both belong to the same botanical family, Burseraceae, and both grow in overlapping regions of the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
The Trees Behind Each Resin
Frankincense trees (Boswellia) are scraggly, drought-tolerant trees and shrubs that cling to rocky hillsides and arid slopes. About 21 known species exist, but the most commercially important are Boswellia sacra, native to Oman and Yemen, and Boswellia carterii, found in Somalia. These trees rarely grow tall. They have papery, peeling bark and can survive in thin, rocky soil where little else thrives.
Myrrh trees (Commiphora) are similarly tough and thorny, often even smaller than their frankincense cousins. The primary species harvested for myrrh is Commiphora myrrha, sometimes called Commiphora molmol. Like Boswellia, these trees have adapted to survive extreme heat and minimal rainfall, storing moisture and nutrients in their trunks and branches.
Where They Grow
Frankincense trees have a wide but specific range. The genus stretches from the Ivory Coast across to the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Sudan), through the Arabian Peninsula (Oman and Yemen), and east into parts of India. The island of Socotra, off the coast of Yemen, is a remarkable hotspot, hosting seven rare Boswellia species. Oman, famous for producing some of the world’s finest frankincense, has only one native species: Boswellia sacra.
Myrrh has a narrower native range. Commiphora myrrha grows in eastern and southeastern Ethiopia, extends into northeastern Kenya, and crosses the water into the southwestern and southern Arabian Peninsula. In practice, most of the world’s myrrh still comes from Somalia, Ethiopia, and parts of Yemen, the same general region that has supplied it for thousands of years.
How the Resin Is Harvested
The harvesting process is remarkably similar for both resins and has changed little since antiquity. Workers make deep, slanted cuts through the thin outer bark of the tree. The tree responds to this wound by oozing a sticky, milky sap that seals the cut, much like a scab forming over a scrape. Over days to weeks, the sap hardens into lumps of resin on the outside of the trunk. Harvesters then scrape these clumps and chunks off the wound site by hand.
Trees can be tapped multiple times during a season, and the resin from later harvests is often considered higher quality because it contains fewer impurities. The process does stress the tree, and overharvesting is a real concern in some areas. In Oman, researchers have identified overgrazing by livestock, excessive resin tapping, insect attacks, and mining as threats to Boswellia sacra populations, though a recent conservation assessment found that 97% of surveyed areas still showed healthy regeneration with young saplings present.
What Makes Them Different
Despite coming from related tree families and overlapping regions, frankincense and myrrh are chemically distinct resins with different properties. Frankincense resin is typically pale, ranging from translucent gold to whitish, and has a bright, piney, slightly citrusy scent when burned. Its key active compounds are boswellic acids, which have strong anti-inflammatory effects. This is why frankincense extracts show up in supplements marketed for joint health and inflammation.
Myrrh is darker, usually reddish-brown, with a warmer, earthier, slightly bitter aroma. Its signature compounds are sesquiterpenes, a class of molecules with notable pain-relieving properties. Some of these compounds interact with the same receptors in the brain that opioid painkillers target, which helps explain why myrrh was used as an analgesic across ancient cultures long before anyone understood the chemistry behind it.
The Ancient Trade That Made Them Famous
Frankincense and myrrh were among the most valuable commodities in the ancient world, worth their weight in gold at various points in history. Caravans carried the resins from southern Arabia northward along the Red Sea coast, crossing the Sinai desert into Egypt. From there, the goods were loaded onto ships and distributed across the Mediterranean to Greek, Roman, and Persian buyers. Cities along these trade routes, like Timna in what is now Yemen, grew wealthy by providing shelter to travelers and levying taxes on the passing caravans.
This incense trade didn’t just move goods. It moved culture. Long-distance commerce with Mediterranean and Persian civilizations introduced new artistic and religious traditions to Arabia, while frankincense and myrrh became deeply embedded in Egyptian embalming practices, Roman religious ceremonies, and eventually the Christmas narrative familiar to billions of people today. The fact that these two resins were presented alongside gold in that story gives a sense of how precious they were considered at the time.
Production Today
Modern production still centers on the same regions. Somalia remains the world’s largest producer of both frankincense and myrrh, with Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Oman, and Yemen also contributing significant quantities. Most harvesting is still done by hand using traditional methods, often by the same communities that have tapped these trees for generations. The resins are sold for use in incense, perfume, essential oils, traditional medicine, and increasingly in Western supplements and skincare products.
The growing global demand has raised sustainability questions. While Boswellia sacra populations in Oman appear relatively stable for now, other species in other regions face more pressure. Researchers have flagged the need for better rangeland management, monitoring of tapping practices, and potential new protected areas to ensure these ancient trees continue producing resin for generations to come.