Myrrh gum is commonly harvested from the species Commiphora myrrha. Another commonly used name, Commiphora molmol, is now considered a synonym of Commiphora myrrha. Commiphora myrrha is native to Somalia, Oman, Yemen, Eritrea, (Somali Region of) Ethiopia and parts of Saudi Arabia.
What plant produces myrrh?
myrrh, (from Arabic murr, “bitter”), bitter-tasting, agreeably aromatic, yellow to reddish brown oleoresinous gum obtained from various small, thorny, flowering trees of the genus Commiphora, of the incense-tree family (Burseraceae). The two main varieties of myrrh are herabol and bisabol.
What is myrrh in the Bible made of?
Myrrh was also used to prepare Christ’s body for burial. During biblical times these were very versatile and expensive resins that were derived from tree sap. They were used in the creation of essential oils and perfume as well as medicines.
What is the origin of myrrh?
Frankincense, also known as olibanum, comes from select trees in the Boswellia genus, and myrrh usually comes from Commiphora trees. The plants belong to the same botanical family and commonly grow on the Arabian Peninsula, in India, and in northeastern Africa.
Is myrrh from Africa?
Myrrh is a natural exudate or gum resin collected from Commiphora trees that inhabit the Horn of Africa and the Arabian peninsula.
What trees do frankincense and myrrh come from?
“Frankincense and myrrh are both resins — dried tree sap — that come from trees of the genus Boswellia (frankincense) and Commiphora (myrhh), which are common to Somalia and Ethiopia,” said Rhonda Ferree.
What is a Commiphora tree?
Commiphora myrrha, called myrrh, African myrrh, herabol myrrh, Somali myrrhor, common myrrh, is a tree in the Burseraceae family. It is one of the primary trees used in the production of myrrh, a resin made from dried tree sap.
Where do myrrh trees grow?
Myrrh is not a plant itself, but a resin from the Commiphora shrub, which grows in northern Africa and the Middle East. The shrub grows to about 12 feet high, and needs sunny and dry conditions to grow well. Like its native home, the Commiphora shrub grows best in hot desert regions of the world.
What is liquid myrrh in the Bible?
Liquid myrrh, or stacte, written about by Pliny, was an ingredient of Jewish holy incense, and was formerly greatly valued but cannot now be identified in today’s markets.
What is Calamus in the Bible?
calamus. Song of Solomon 4:14 indicates that “calamus” was grown as a garden plant. Acorus calamus is a plant of wet areas, scarcely the setting of this garden and not native to Israel.
What is Commiphora lifeblood?
Frankincense and myrrh are both resins extracted from trees in the Burseraceae family, also known as the torchwood or incense family. Frankincense comes from the dried sap of Boswellia trees, while myrrh comes from the lifeblood of the Commiphora.
What is guggul called in English?
Commiphora wightii, with common names Indian bdellium-tree, gugal, guggul, gugul, or mukul myrrh tree, is a flowering plant in the family Burseraceae, which produces a fragrant resin called gugal, guggul or gugul, that is used in incense and vedic medicine (or ayurveda).
Is myrrh an evergreen?
The biblical myrrh, probably a mixture of several substances, may also have been derived in part from the unrelated rockrose (genus Cistus), a small evergreen plant of the Mediterranean area. The name myrrh is also used for sweet cicely, of the parsley family.
What tree produces frankincense?
Boswellia trees
Most frankincense comes from about five species of Boswellia trees, found in North Africa and India, but also in Oman, Yemen, and western Africa.
What does myrrh tree look like?
Myrrh trees have an appearance akin to a short, flat-topped hawthorn tree with gnarled branches. These scrubby, solitary trees grow among the rocks and sands of the desert. The only time they begin to attain any sort of lushness is in the spring when their green flowers appear just before the leaves sprout.
Is Myrtle the same as myrrh?
In contrary to the fragrant evergreen myrtle leaves, myrrh is a desert tree that when gets hurt produces resin “tears” with a bitter, penetrating aroma (“marr” means “bitter” in Hebrew and is the root for “morr”, the Hebrew name of myrrh).
What is myrtle essential oil?
Organic myrtle essential oil is a top to middle note steam distilled from the leaves and twigs of Myrtus communis. Myrtle oil has a fresh, sweet, and camphoraceous aroma that adds brightness to any aromatherapy recipe. Considered an emblem of love, myrtle branches have been used in wedding ceremonies.
Where is doTERRA myrrh sourced?
The oil is distilled from the resin of the Myrrh tree, a thorny tree native to North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Is frankincense poisonous?
Frankincense is natural, but like many other natural substances, it can be poisonous. Some people who have used frankincense extract have experienced: stomach pain. nausea.
Is myrtle a tree?
Common myrtle
The plant is an evergreen shrub or small tree, growing to 5 metres (16 ft) tall. The leaf is entire, 3–5 cm long, with a fragrant essential oil.
Do myrtle trees grow in Israel?
The plant is rare in Israel as a wild plant, and is found as such in the Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights. It is extensively used as a domesticated plant in gardening.
What’s another name for myrtle?
Other plants known as myrtles are wax myrtle, bog myrtle (or sweet gale), crape myrtle, sand myrtle, gum myrtle, downy myrtle, and the mountain laurel of Oregon and California, the wood of which is often sold as “myrtle.” The creeping, or running, myrtle is the periwinkle.
What does myrtle tree look like?
The Myrtle Tree (or Myrtus communis) is a dwarf tree or shrub that’s cherished for its abundance of dainty, evergreen leaves that adorn the branches year round. In summer, the tree blooms with gorgeous star-like blooms that release their fragrance into the air.
What are myrtle trees in the Bible?
The references in Isaiah (Isaiah 41:19 and 55:13) refer to the divine establishment of the people in the land in subjection to Jehovah. As an evergreen, fragrant shrub associated with watercourses, the myrtle is a fitting symbol of the recovery and establishment of God’s promises.
What is a myrtle tree good for?
Myrtle is a plant. The fruit, leaves, and branches are used to make medicine. People take myrtle for treating lung infections including bronchitis, whooping cough, and tuberculosis. They also take it for bladder conditions, diarrhea, persistent heartburn, heavy periods, yeast infections, and worms.
How many types of myrtle are there?
As previously stated, Myrtus is the genus, but it has three different species, Myrtus Communis, Myrtus Phillyreifolia, and Myrtus Nivellei. Different cultures think myrtle flowers are essential as they have been used in their rituals, and they now have a substantial role in their traditions.
Does myrtle grow in the wild?
MYRTLE (Heb. הֲדַס; Hadas), Myrtus communis, a shrub, and occasionally a tree, possessing fragrant and glossy leaves. It grows wild on Mount Carmel and in Upper Galilee, and its use as a decorative shrub is widespread. The leaves usually grow in series of two and opposite each other.
Can you eat myrtle?
In the kitchen, myrtle leaves can be used for flavoring soups and stews in much the same way one would use bay leaves. The berries are also highly edible, with a fruity, slightly astringent flavor which goes particularly well with enhancing chicken, fish and meat dishes.
How do you make myrtle tea?
Hot; Add a teaspoon of fresh cut Lemon Myrtle Tea to your favorite black or green tea and steep in a pot of boiling water. Allow to draw. Serve hot with honey. Cold; Brew the leaf in a pot for a few minutes, add honey to taste, allow to cool, strain off liquid and refrigerate.
Is myrtle poisonous to humans?
Human Toxicity
The plant is poisonous in large quantities, according to the Plants for a Future website. If you or someone you know ingested any part of creeping myrtle, contact your doctor or call the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ free Poison Help Line at 800-222-1222.