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Commiphora myrrha
Also called Somali Myrrh, Herabol Myrrh, Myrrh, Common Myrrh
Commiphora myrrha is a spiny, drought-hardy shrub or small tree native to dry parts of the Horn of Africa and southern Arabia, grown for the aromatic resin its bark releases. It is best handled as a sun-loving, low-water plant in well-drained soil.
Commiphora myrrha, called myrrh, Somali myrrh, herabol myrrh, common myrrh, is a tree in the family Burseraceae. It is one of the primary trees used in the production of myrrh, a resin made from dried tree sap. The Commiphora myrrha tree is indigenous to Somalia, in the Somali regions of Ethiopia and Kenya, Djibouti, Eritrea and parts of the Arabian Peninsula (Yemen and Oman).
Myrrh is a fragrant gum resin that is similar to frankincense. The tree species that produces myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) thrives well in the arid and semi-arid regions. Somalia is the largest producer of both myrrh and frankincense.
It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-pest and can be used for fumigation or oral use. It has been used as an astringent, antiseptic, anti-parasitic, anti-viral anti-tussive, emmenagogue, and anti-spasmodic agent. It was commonly included in mixtures used to treat worms, wounds, and sepsis. It is also a potent treatment for gingivitis, canker sores, sore throat, boils, arthritis, and acne. Due to its medicinal properties, it is imagined as a potential preventative and therapeutic agent for several diseases, including COVID-19.
Hairy Corkwood · Hill Mango · Balsam of Mecca · Abyssinian Myrrh
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Commiphora myrrha by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
