Frankincense

Harvest of the pitch/sap begins once the trees have reached 8-10 years of age. Venomous snakes that live in the trees are first frightened away by burning the pitch of the styrax tree (benzoin). The trunk bark is then cut deeply and longitudinally and a narrow strip of bark five inches long is peeled off. The milky sap exudes and hardens upon exposure to the air and the incision is deepened. Three months later (from May through mid-September) the resin, now in tear form, is dried enough to be collected by Somalian people who pay the Arab people for the privilege of collecting it. This page includes alias and Chinese names for frankincense with pictures, how to use frankincense, its properties, chemical constituents, and helpful links.