Can I grow this indoors?

It is difficult but possible if you provide intense light and very well-draining soil.

How often should I water it?

Water sparingly, allowing the soil to dry out completely between sessions.

Guía de plantas

Frankincense.

Boswellia sacra

Pronunciación boz-WELL-ee-uh SAK-ruh

También se conoce como frankincense, olibanum-tree

Frankincense is a beautiful, slow growing tree known for the aromatic resin it produces. It thrives in arid conditions and brings a unique, desert aesthetic to your space. You will love its papery bark and delicate, feathery leaves.

Otra foto de Frankincense — Foto de Julien Renoult (CC0) vía gbif

De un vistazo

Nivel de cuidados: Media
Tipo de planta: Deciduous tree
Luz: Full sun
Luz en interior: Sol directo
Riego: Cada 14 a 30 días
Tamaño adulto: 15 to 20 feet
Ritmo de crecimiento: Lento
Rusticidad: USDA 10 a 12
Floración: Late winter to early spring

Cuidados

Keep this tree in a very sunny spot and allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings. Watch for yellowing leaves, which often signal that the plant is sitting in too much moisture. It prefers a gritty, well draining soil mix to mimic its rocky native habitat.

Riego: Water sparingly, ensuring the soil dries out entirely to prevent root rot.
Abonado: Apply a balanced, diluted fertilizer only during the active growing season.
Poda: Prune lightly in late winter to maintain shape and remove any dead branches.
Trasplante: Repot only when the tree has clearly outgrown its current container, as it prefers to be somewhat root bound.
Suelo: Sandy or rocky, well draining
pH del suelo: Neutral to slightly alkaline
Temperatura: 10 a 40°C
Humedad: 10 a 40%
Tolerancia a la sequía: Alta
Longevidad: Perennial, can live for several hundred years.
Fragancia: Intensa
Resistencia a ciervos y conejos: Alta

Señales de que necesita trasplante

Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
Water sitting on the surface for too long.
The tree stops growing during the active season.

Seguridad

Personas: The plant is generally non-toxic, but the resin should be used with care as it can cause mild irritation in sensitive individuals.
Niños: Keep away from children as the small, hard seeds and sharp branches pose minor physical risks.
Alérgenos por contacto: Handling the raw resin or sap may cause contact dermatitis in sensitive people.
Alérgenos en el aire: Burning the resin releases smoke that can irritate the lungs of those with asthma or sensitivities.
Comestibilidad: While the resin is traditionally chewed, the plant itself is not considered a food source and should not be ingested.

Cómo identificarla

Papery, peeling bark
Feathery, pinnate leaves
Small white or yellow flowers
Produces aromatic resin

Altura: 2 a 8m
Anchura: 1,5 a 5m
Hojas: green, yellow-green, deciduous
Flores: white, yellow, 0,5 a 1cm
Frutos: brown, Summer

Problemas frecuentes

Root rot — Occurs when the soil remains too wet for extended periods.
Scale insects — Small sap-sucking insects that can weaken the tree.

Cómo cultivarla

Propagación: seed, cuttings
Cuándo plantar: spring
Cuidados en invierno: Keep the plant in a bright, warm location and reduce watering to almost nothing during the cooler months to mimic its natural dormancy.
En maceta: It grows well in containers if you use a gritty, fast-draining cactus mix and a pot with large drainage holes.

Seed Sowing

1. Use a very sandy, well-draining seed starter mix.
2. Press seeds lightly into the surface.
3. Keep warm and barely moist until germination.

Cuttings

1. Take a semi-hardwood cutting in spring.
2. Allow the cut end to callus for several days.
3. Insert into dry, sandy soil and wait for roots to form.

Group with other desert succulents that require minimal water to prevent accidental overwatering.

Buenas compañeras

Sábila — They share similar requirements for arid conditions and well-draining soil.
Rosa del desierto — This companion thrives in the same high-heat, low-water environment.

Especies parecidas

Boswellia serrata — A related species also used for resin production.

Ciencia

Familia: Burseraceae
Género: Boswellia
Orden: Sapindales
Clase: Magnoliopsida
Distribución natural: Oman, Yemen, and parts of Somalia.
Conservación: The species is considered near threatened due to over-harvesting and habitat loss in its native range.

It thrives in arid, rocky environments where its roots can penetrate limestone crevices to access deep moisture.

Valor para la fauna: nectar source
Polinizadores: abejas
Usos: incense production, ornamental specimen, traditional medicine

A lo largo del año

EFMAMJJASOND

Floración

Fructificación

Follaje

Indicadores ecológicos

Salinidad: 4/9
Reacción del suelo: 8/9
Luz: 9/9
Temperatura: 8/9
Humedad: 1/9
Nutrientes: 2/9

Taxonomía cotejada con GBIF.

Lo que más preguntan

Can I grow this indoors?: It is difficult but possible if you provide intense light and very well-draining soil.
How often should I water it?: Water sparingly, allowing the soil to dry out completely between sessions.

De dónde viene el nombre

The genus name Boswellia honors the Scottish botanist John Boswell, while sacra refers to its sacred status in ancient religious rituals.

Bueno saberlo

The trees often grow directly out of limestone cliffs.
Frankincense has been traded for over 5,000 years.
The bark peels in papery layers.
It is a slow-growing tree that can live for centuries.

También en

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Esta guía se ha generado con IA y se ha cotejado con la taxonomía de GBIF. Es información general, no asesoramiento botánico ni veterinario. Descubre cómo elaboramos estas guías.