Frankincense - the gift of God

Frankincense trees are considered a gift from God. They cannot be cultivated or transplanted and only grow in very specific locations with a particular soil consistency and humidity. Their distribution area is therefore limited.

In Dhofar, the frankincense trees grow mainly on a belt along the northern flank of the Kush Mountains, which is no longer directly affected by the monsoon. The quality of the frankincense resin depends on the humidity of the location. The best frankincense resin comes from the forests in dry regions, i.e. far from the coast. Its resin is yellowish-white and has a clear consistency.

Harvesting frankincense resin is an art in itself. The bark is cut flat in several places with a special knife. Initially, only small white drops of a sticky, milky liquid emerge from the wound; this resin is still worthless and is simply scraped off after about three weeks. Only now does the actual olibanum appear, which is harvested every three weeks, especially during the hot spring months. The harvest period covers a maximum of three consecutive years. The tree is then allowed to rest for several years.