Botanic: Black Frankincense/Frankincense Neglecta
Binomial name: Boswellia Neglecta (native to Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda and Kenya).
Scent: crisp, earthy, pine-like, light vanilla-musk; you can find this frankincense in my Black Storax and Clove incense sticks.
Function: as a resin, frankincense functions as an aromatic in incense making. Like most resins, only a little is needed. If too much is used in direct burning incense (sticks, cones etc), it won’t stay lit.
Something you might not know: There are many varieties of Frankincense! They have similar scent profiles, but each variety has a slightly different twist.
I buy frankincense from a Canadian supplier, who has travelled to North Eastern Kenya to establish a direct-buying relationship with the women of the Samburu tribe. This relationship greatly shortens the chain of purchase, and ensures they receive a higher price for the resin they harvest.
Frankincense is one of the most popular resins in the world, and comes from countries that have previously been colonised. This is important to know, because the people harvesting the resin are likely local to the area; not paying them fairly for their work is harmful on principle, but also furthers the harm of colonisation.
Check out the previous Botanic Spotlight on Australian Sandalwood. You can find more information about my sourcing process here.
I make incense at my kitchen table in Melbourne from sustainably harvested Australian sandalwood, as well as tree resins, plants and essential oils.