Botanical Name: Commiphora myrrha (Nees) Engl.

Family: Burseraceae.

Synonyms: Common myrrh; Hirabol myrrh; myrrha.

Origin: Native to the Red Sea region (Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen) and parts of Kenya. Grows wild throughout north east Africa and south west Asia. The gum is produced mainly in Ethiopia, Somalia, Yemen.

Botanical Description: Are small trees or shrubs up to 5-meters (20 ft) high, with a   grayish bark, dense trifoliate, aromatic leaves, short, thorny branches and small pink or yellow flowers. The trees exude a yellowish-white milky liquid when incisions are made on the bark. This liquid hardens into small, reddish brown tears.

Extraction: Essential oil is obtained by steam distillation of the gum resin. The oil is pale yellow, or pale orange, or pale amber- greenish mobile liquid. Yield 3 to 8%.

Aroma Profile: Has a sharp-balsamic, slightly medicinal top note. The middle note is increasingly sweet. The dry out is aromatic, warm-spicy.

Major Constituents: Heerabolene, cinnamaldehyde, cuminic, eugenol, cadinene, pinene, b-elemene, d-elemene, furanoeudesma-1,3-diene, curzerene and limonene.

Adulterants: Refined myrrh which contains essential oil as well as extracted matter is sometimes sold as essential oil.

Regulatory Status: FDA 121.1163. 172.510.

Aromatherapy: Centering, visualizing, meditative.

Blends well with: Sandalwood, pine, geranium, lavender, cypress, mandarin, orange, juniper, thyme, patchouli, peppermint, spearmint, frankincense.

Safety Data: Non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing. Avoid during pregnancy.