The Frankincense Tree's Paper Bark

Boswellia sacra is a small deciduous tree native to Oman, Yemen, Somalia and Ethiopia. People harvest frankincense from its dried sap.

Boswellia sacra grows 2 to 8 meters tall with paper-textured bark. Peeling wallpaper is usually less vertical.

Boswellia sacra trees start producing resin at 8 to 10 years old. Workers collect the milky sap by hand after it coagulates.

Boswellia sacra tolerates rocky slopes up to 1,200 meters elevation. Buttress roots make steep slopes feel like home.

Omanis prize slow-growing Boswellia sacra from the fog-laden Najd desert zone. The white resin clumps command higher prices.

Ancient coastal city traded frankincense from Dhofar.

Greek mythology claims Helios turned buried Leucothoe into the frankincense tree.

Boswellia sacra was replanted in Ketura, Israel in December 2012. After 1,500 years away, the olibanum tree is back.