The Tree House Forest Product Information Sheet

No.80 MYRRH

COMMON NAME: MYRRH

GENUS & SPECIES: Commiphora erythraea, C. myrrha, C. abyssinica

FAMILY: BURSERACEAE

FAMILY RELATIONS: FRANKINCENSE

GENERAL: Several of the small bushy trees of this genus produce the myrrh resin that was brought as a gift to the baby Jesus along with gold and frankincense. All are native to the middleast and Northeast Africa. They rarely exceed 3 or 4m in height and are protected from browsing animals by large thorns. The small infrequent leaves are no more than 3cm long at most and are bunched together on the twigs in threes.

ECOLOGY: As with frankincense (Boswellia carterii), myrrh is most at home in very hot, very dry, almost arid conditions where most other plants struggle to survive. Myrrh is most commonly found growing on volcanic soils.

CULINARY USES: None

MEDICINAL USES: Myrrh has a long history of medicinal use. It can be burned like frankincense and is used in meditation and for spiritual development. It also has the added side effect of keeping away mosquitoes. Myrrh also has a long history of being used to cure mouth ulcers and gum infections and is still a constituent of some toothpastes. Mixed with frankincense and lemon in a cream or base oil it is supposed to make a good anti-wrinkle cream. In aromatherapy the essential oil is used to ease respiratory problems as well as digestive ailments and diarrhoea.