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.

Gum Acaroidea, Gum Blackboy is an aromatic resinous gum from the Australian grass tree or Blackboy, 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 a perfume. Western and Eastern people 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 earliest known and those from the Baltic region being the most valued. The resin originates from various species and some are commercially produced from existing pine resins. New Zealand amber or Kauri Gum is a subfossil copal from the Agathis australis kauri tree forests that covered the islands before 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 as it is used by artists and craftsmen today. The gum can be successfully applied to dry on various materials and surfaces. It does not have a prominent aroma, but 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.

Gum Balsam of Peru/Bálsamo de Tolu 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 that is 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 that are highly demanded in the perfumery business. It is adaptable to stronger character or soft floral perfumes and provides a reliable fixative.

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

It is an aromatic gum that exudes from the tree. It is used as a perfume fixative and in exclusive formulations by some perfumers. Known since ancient times with Theophrastas for the first time mentioning it as a thorny tree that produces myrrh-like resin tears. In China, bdellium, known as hsi hsiang or called the Parthian aromatic, 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 perfume, incense, and medicine in early trade with the Phoenicians in the BC period. Legend has it that Styrax incense served to deter snakes that inhibited the harvest. The resin is balsamic and is used in perfumery, incense and also for medicinal purposes. It has a popular appeal due to its pleasant vanilla aroma and the fixing properties of the resin. It remains an important component of the Christian church type of incense.

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 Lebanese cedar 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 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, Bursena odorata gum is used in the manufacture of incense and to specifically provide viscosity where industrial purposes require it. Copal is a name given to the resin of the aromatic tree that has an immature amber composition. 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 foods as well as in incense and other preparations as a varnish for oil paintings 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 tapping trees. However, the bright red resin known as dragon’s blood comes from different species of Croton, Dracaena, Daemonorops, Calamus and Pterocarpus. Valued in medicine and used for centuries as incense.

Gum Elemi The tropical Elemi tree, Canarium luzonicum, is native to the Philippines and produces a soft resin with a light, fresh aroma, gently spiced 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 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 most 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 the baby Jesus and the gift of the Magi. The trees have been heavily exploited and are not considered endangered species.

Kauri gum, New Zealand amber, kauri gum from Agathis australis, 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. Mastic, 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 aromatic natural oleoresin from a species of small, thorny tree in the genus Commiphora, myrrh, and C.momol from Yemen and Ethiopia. The gum is yellowish and can be transparent or opaque. It darkens deeply as it ages and streaks of white appear. Myrrh was used in religious rituals by the ancient Egyptians and was an ingredient in Ketoret, the sacred incense of Jerusalem as recorded in the Hebrew Bible and Talmud. As the Christian legend says, myrrh was a gift from the Magi to help Jesus overcome the pain that would follow his crucifixion. Myrrh is medicine for pain relief 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 said to be of inferior quality. The highly flammable resin is burned as incense that has a balsamic scent similar to lavender. It is used medicinally to relieve spasms, asthma, and hysteria. Legend has it that King Solomon regarded Opopanax as the noblest of incense gums.

Imperial Opoponax is based on a mixture of 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 conifer or pine sources, including Pinus jefferyi from the US and Pinus pinaster, P. palustris, P. sylvestris and P. halepensis from Europe. Many resins are valued as constituents of incense and perfumes. The English word has its origin in the late 14th century Old French resine, from L. resina “resin”, from 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. The 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 colored 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 chewing gum curing many problems as is customary in many southern states of America. The Chinese believe in its value in medicine and are aware of its subtle beneficial influence and appreciated aroma.

Astragalus gummifer gum tragacanth 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 antitumor 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 once used in medicine to mask the taste of quinine. Yerba santa, which literally means holy herb in Spanish, used for centuries by Native Americans to cure a variety of ailments, primarily 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 oral medicine.