Gum Acacia, Gum Arabic Acacia senegal, A.seyal from Arabia, Senegal and Somalia, where it is called chaar gund, char goond or meska. It is a natural edible gum made from the hardened sap of acacia trees. It has many uses, including incense cones.

Acaroidea Gum, Blackboy Gum is an aromatic resinous gum from the Australian grass or Blackboy tree, a native plant of the genus Xanthorrhoea. Its trunks abound in a powerful aromatic resin known as Blackboy Gum or Acaroid Gum.

Gum Agarwood, Aloeswood Aquilaria malaccensis, sometimes known as jinko or oud, is a rare and precious wood that is burned as incense and used as perfume. People in the West and East enjoy its distinctive relaxing scent and spiritual influence in their meditations, but stocks of this wild source have dwindled and the trees are now listed as potentially endangered.

Gum Amber: Various fossilized resins are known as amber, with those from the Northern Hemisphere claiming to be the first known and those from the Baltic region being the most valued. The resin originates from several species and some are produced commercially from extant pine resins. New Zealand Amber or Kauri Gum is a subfossil copal from the Agathis australis kauri tree forests that covered the islands prior to white settlement.

Gum Ammonia is an aromatic gum made from damaged stems of the Ammonia Dorema ammoniacum tree. This occurs naturally through beetle bites. Gum is a traditional glue for gilding and applying gold leaf after extensive filtering and preparation, and was used by scribes in ancient times just as it is used by artists and craftsmen today. The rubber can be successfully applied to dry on various materials and surfaces. It does not have a prominent aroma, but it was once considered sacred and used in incense in Libya in the worship of Jupiter.

Asafoetida gum from Iran and Afghanistan is used in food, medicine, and perfume. In its raw state, its odor is very unpleasant, but it can be used in food preparations for the benefit of those familiar with traditional preparations. Other uses are as animal bait for wolves and some fish; as a fly trap for moths. Humans use it to prepare a positive psychic field against bad influences.

Gum, Balsam of Gilead, Balsam of Mecca Commiphora gileadensis from the Mediterranean region and Arabia. Prized for its healing properties and sought after by kings and temple priests. There is considerable mystique associated with this substance and its magical properties.

Peruvian Gum Balsam/Tolu Balsam Myroxylon balsamum, M.peruiferum, Toluifera pereirae, used in medicine and also in incense and perfume preparations. A reaction to Balsam of Peru is used to indicate any allergic reaction to the fragrance. It is a sticky aromatic harvested by cutting the bark of the Myroxolon balsamum tree, a tree native to El Salvador. Its aroma is a mixture of vanilla and cinnamon with citrus tones, highly demanded in the perfumery business. It is adaptable to stronger character or soft floral perfumes and provides a reliable fixative.

Bdellium gum (Gum Guggal) Commiphora wightii, C. africana, C. stocksiana (India)

It is an aromatic gum that is exuded from the tree. It is used as a perfume fixative and in exclusive formulations of some perfumers. Known since ancient times with Theophrastas for the first time mentioning it as a thorny tree that produces myrrh-like tears of resin. In China, bdellium, known as hsi hsiang or called the aromatic calving, was among the varieties of incense that came to China along the Silk Road.

Gum Benzoin, Gum Benzoin, Benzoin Tree, Styrax, Styrax Benzoin This is a tree from Indonesia and Sumatra, the main source of benzoin resin. Its common names are also Loban (Arabic) or kemenyan in Indonesia and Malaysia. This resin, once commonly called Gum Benjamin, was used as a perfume, incense, and as a medicine in the early trade of the Phoenicians in the BC period. Legend has it that Styrax incense serves to deter snakes that inhibited the harvest. The resin is balsamic and is used in perfumery, incense and also for medicinal purposes. It has popular appeal due to its pleasant vanilla aroma and the fixative properties of the resin. It remains an important component of the type of incense in the Christian church.

Gum Cedarwood Cedrus libani Cedar of Lebanon pine cone showing flecks of resin as used in the ancient Egyptian mummification process. For many hundreds of years, the cedar of Lebanon has been the national emblem of Lebanon. It is one of the most sacred trees currently suffering from current conditions that threaten trees that have survived centuries. The resin is believed to impart strength directly to those who inhale it and respond to its vapors and influence.

Gum Cistus, Gum labdanum Cistus ladaniferus or Rock Rose is a species found in Spain and produces this sticky substance with a strong aromatic character. Once in great demand as an aromatic.

Copal Hymenaea courbaril gum, Bursena odorata is used in the manufacture of incense and to specifically offer viscosity where industrial purposes require it. Copal is a name given to the resin of the aromatic tree that has a composition of immature amber. The name copalli from the ancient Mayan language means incense and is still used as such by the indigenous peoples of Central America. Copal was also cultivated in East Africa (the common species there is Hymenaea verrucosa.

Gum Dammar comes from the Canarium strictum tree and is sometimes collected from the ground. It is used in food as well as in incense and other preparations such as varnishing oil paints when the gum is mixed with turpentine.

Gum Dragon’s Blood is the gray or yellowish resin of various genera Shorea, Balancocarpus, and Hopea obtained by pounding trees. However, the bright red resin known as dragon’s blood comes from various species of Croton, Dracaena, Daemonorops, Calamus, and Pterocarpus. Valued in medicine and used for centuries as incense.

Gum Elemi The tropical tree Elemi, Canarium luzonicum, is native to the Philippines and produces a smooth resin with a light, fresh aroma, mildly spicy with a hint of lemon. It is a delicious fragrance for the room. The aroma has a harmonizing effect particularly suitable for meditation and visualization, helping to achieve a state of deep peace without drowsiness.

Gum Frankincense, Olibanum Boswellia sacra, B. carteri produces a resin imported directly from Somalia. This is the best known and valued traditional resinous aromatic used for centuries for its subtle influence to uplift the human spirit, whether through thought, devotion, prayer or meditation. It is the most favored aromatic used as an oil or as a resin with a legend strongly associated with baby Jesus and the gift of the Magi. The trees have been heavily harvested and are not considered endangered species.

Kauri Gum, New Zealand Amber, Agathis australis kauri gum, like true amber, sometimes includes insect and plant material in its early stages or fossilized form. Other Kauri species also exude gum from the heavy trunks or branches. The burning vapors are used in traditional healing practices and most species provide incense material.

Gum Mastic resin from the Pistacia lentiscus tree is a transparent, lemon-white, teardrop-shaped natural resin popular in ancient Greece, Egypt and the Mediterranean region. It was a key ingredient in their ancient “Kyphi” recipes to create a light, balsamic, fresh and smooth fragrance called “the fragrance that pleases the gods”. It is cleansing, clarifying and mentally refreshing. The putty, in addition to providing a subtle brain tonic, was used in embalming. In addition to its use in incense, it is used as chewing gum and also in food. Mastic works well for meditation and reflection with its bright, radiant energy.

Gum Myrrh is the natural aromatic oleoresin of a small, thorny tree species of the genus Commiphora, myrrh and C. momol from Yemen and Ethiopia. The gum is yellowish and may be transparent or opaque. It darkens deeply as it ages and white streaks appear. Myrrh was used in the religious rituals of the ancient Egyptians and was an ingredient in Ketoret, the holy incense of Jerusalem as recorded in the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud. As Christian legend has it, myrrh was a gift from the Magi to help Jesus overcome the pain that would follow his crucifixion. Myrrh is pain-relieving medicine of many kinds. It is a common component of incense used in healing rituals.

Gum Opoponax, Sweet Myrrh, Opopanax chironium The plant thrives in the warmer climates of Iran, Greece and Somalia, but is reasonably adapted to cooler climates, although the resin content is claimed to be of inferior quality. The highly flammable resin is burned as incense that has a balsamic aroma similar to that of lavender. It is used medicinally to relieve spasms, asthma, and hysteria. Legend has it that King Solomon considered Opopanax as the noblest of incense gums.

Imperial Opoponax is based on a mixture of the sweet resinous aroma of opoponax mixed with oriental ingredients considered the most noble such as benzoin, sandalwood, amber and vanilla.

Gum Pine Resin refers to gum from a variety of coniferous or pine sources, including Pinus jefferyi from the US and Pinus pinaster, P. palustris, P. sylvestris and P. halepensis a from Europe. Many resins are valued as constituents of incense and perfumes. The English word originates from the Old French resine of the late 14th century, from L. resina “resin”, from the Greek rhetine “pine resin”, of unknown earlier origin. The gum is believed to contain the captured energies and vitality of the sun and represents powerful masculine traits and properties. The resin has a wide range of practical applications.

Gum Sandarac, Gum Juniper comes from Callitris quadrivalcis in Africa and other conifers in Morocco and Australia. Pale yellow resin tears are brittle and clear as amber. This is one of the oldest known therapeutic resins. It is used by artists and those who want a job that requires a light yellow resin. It is a common ingredient in incense and men’s toiletries.

Gum Sweetgum, Liquidambar formosana, L. Styrax, L. styraciflua The sap harvested from the Liquidambar tree hardens enough to be chewed like a gum which cures many problems as is customary in many southern American states. The Chinese believe in its value in medicine and are aware of its subtle beneficial influence and prized aroma.

The gum tragacanth from Astragalus gummifer is native to Iran. The natural dried sap of this and several other species, including A. adscendens, A. brachycalyx, and A tragacanthus, are sources of shiraz gum, or dragon gum. This is much appreciated as a medicine when applied externally for burns and traditionally for tumors. Modern research is exploring its anti-tumor properties, and there are indications that it might boost the immune system. There is currently insufficient evidence of its full value in aromatherapy when applied to psychiatric practice.

Gum Yerba Santa, Gum Bush, Sacred Bush Eriodictyon glutinosum from California is aromatic and used in medicine once to mask the taste of quinine. Yerba santa, which literally means sacred herb in Spanish, used for centuries by Native Americans to cure a variety of ailments, mainly related to the lungs and digestion. The herb is also used as a tonic to cleanse the blood, tone the nervous system, and stimulate the mind. It has a sweet taste but with a bitter touch. The herb is used in native ritual uses burned as incense, as well as in liquid extract as an oral medicine.