Materia Aromatica

The Frankincense Library

Boswellia is not one oil. Frankincense read by species and origin.

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Frankincense is a trade name, not a species. Several Boswellia species are tapped for resin, and each distils to a different oil. The name has also stretched beyond the genus: breu branco, sold as Brazilian frankincense, comes from another tree altogether.

01 · The Genus

Resin trees of dry ground

Boswellia belongs to the Burseraceae, the incense-tree family that also gives myrrh and elemi. The trees grow on arid, rocky ground from southern Arabia through the Horn of Africa to India. Resin is drawn by scoring the bark. The exudate hardens in the air to tears, which are gathered by hand and steam distilled.

Distillation takes only the volatile fraction. The heavy triterpenes of the resin, the boswellic acids among them, stay behind. Frankincense oils are therefore monoterpene-led, and the species are told apart by which monoterpenes lead. Protium heptaphyllum, the source of breu branco, belongs to the same family and is held here for comparison.

Resin varies with season and with the individual tree, so two lots of one species rarely smell identical. Species and origin set the frame; the lot sets the detail.

Southern Arabia

Sacra

The frankincense of the old incense routes. Alpha-pinene leads by a wide margin.

Horn of Africa

Carterii and rivae

Two species from Somali ground. Carterii is rounder; rivae carries delta-3-carene and a peppery edge.

India

Serrata

Alpha-thujene leads, an unusual marker within the genus.

Brazil

Breu branco

Protium, not Boswellia. Para-cymene gives a dry, spicy brightness.

Side by side

6 oils at a glance

Oil Botanical name Origin Cultivation Main constituents From Availability
Organic Frankincense Carterii Essential Oil Boswellia carterii Somalia Certified organic alpha- & beta-Pinene, Limonene, Sabinene, Myrcene $26.25 Sold out
Frankincense, Carterii Boswellia carterii Somalia Wild alpha- & beta-Pinene, Limonene, Sabinene, Myrcene $15.00 Sold out
Frankincense, Brazil / Breu Branco Protium heptaphyllum Brazil Wild Paracymene, alpha-Pinene, Terpinolene $15.75 Sold out
Frankincense, Rivae (African) Boswellia rivae Somalia Wild alpha- & beta Pinene, delta-3-Carene, Limonene, ortho-Cymene $22.50 Sold out
Frankincense, Serrata Boswellia serrata India Wild alpha-Thuyene, alpha-Pinene, Sabinene $12.75 Sold out
Frankincense, Sacra (Holy Frankincense) Boswellia sacra Oman Conventional alpha-Pinene, Limonene, Sabinene, Camphene $24.00 Sold out

Scroll sideways for all columns →

02 · The Range

Four species, one cousin

03 · Side by Side

Species, ground and family

Sacra beside carterii is the classic pairing. Some botanists treat the two as one species, yet on the blotter they part quickly. Sacra is drier and more austere, with alpha-pinene dominant. Carterii is rounder, its limonene and myrcene giving a softer, more lemony opening.

Carterii beside rivae holds origin constant, since both come from Somalia. Rivae carries delta-3-carene and ortho-cymene, and its edge is drier and more peppery. The comparison isolates species on shared ground.

Serrata beside breu branco widens the frame. Serrata is still Boswellia, but alpha-thujene leads its profile. Breu branco leaves the genus entirely, and its para-cymene character shows how far a resin oil of the same family can sit from the Arabian type.

For olfactory study, the five oils are best followed on blotters across a full day. The openings are close; the drydowns separate them clearly.

04 · In Practice

Middle notes for slow work

The Boswellia oils sit in the middle of a composition, with sacra reaching towards the base. They bridge citrus top notes and heavier woods, and they extend the life of lighter materials in a blend. Carterii is the most adaptable of the group in massage blends and skincare formulation.

Sacra suits meditation practice and incense-style diffusion, where its dryness reads cleanly. Rivae and breu branco are the brighter oils, closer to the top of the pyramid, and useful in natural perfumery where a resinous lift is wanted without weight. Serrata, slightly peppery, works in both registers.

Classic partners across the library are myrrh, sandalwood, cedarwood, vetiver, rose, lavender and orange. Monoterpene-rich oils oxidise once opened, so bottles are kept closed, cool and dark, and used within a reasonable period.

Essential oils are for aromatic and topical use. Dilute before applying to skin. Keep out of reach of children.