Frankincense essential oil is obtained from the hardened oleo-gum resin collected from Boswellia carterii or related species found in the Boswellia family.
The genus Boswellia comprises of approximately 23 species, but only about 6 of these exude oleo-gum resin that yields frankincense oil with the beautiful, classical fragrance we are familiar with.
Other resin bearing species include; B. sacra, B. thurifera, B. frereana, B. neglecta and B. serrata, - each one producing a frankincnese essential oil with a slightly different aroma. The nature of Boswellia trees makes them difficult to identify because they are leafless and in a drought-dormant condition for part of the year, so it is not uncommon for species to be misidentified.
