Frankincense trees
EthioTrees – Frankincense trees (Boswellia papyrifera) are remarkable for both their ecological resilience and their cultural value, thanks to the aromatic resin they produce—frankincense, treasured for millennia. Native to the arid highlands of northeastern Africa, these trees face mounting threats, but the EthioTrees ecosystem restoration efforts are offering new hope for their future.
Thanks to the generosity of their trunks, providing high-value incense, frankincense trees (Boswellia papyrifera) may be the most wonderful trees on Earth. Boswellia papyrifera is a deciduous tree native to the dry, mountainous regions of northeastern Africa. It is most renowned for producing frankincense—an aromatic resin used for centuries in religious rituals, traditional medicine, and perfumery. The resin is harvested by making small cuts in the bark, from which the sap slowly oozes and hardens into tear-shaped droplets.
These trees typically grow in rocky, arid environments and can reach heights of 5 to 8 meters. They are drought-tolerant and well-adapted to nutrient-poor soils. Despite their resilience, Boswellia papyrifera populations are under threat due to overharvesting, grazing pressure, fire, and poor regeneration. One of the most unique and challenging aspects of this species is its resistance to artificial propagation—seedlings are difficult to cultivate, and natural regeneration is slow and uncertain.
Over the past years, EthioTrees and the community of Amanit worked on a strategy of intensive natural regeneration. Finally, the hard work pays off. During a field survey with the teams of EthioTrees Ethiopia and Belgium in May 2023, an incredible density of new Boswellia babies was observed!
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