Commiphora gileadensisArabian Balsam

The Commiphora gileadensis, commonly known as the Arabian Balsam or Balm of Gilead, is a small, open, aromatic tree of the rocky slopes of south west Arabia and the Horn of Africa. Smooth peeling grey bark carries thin branches and small trifoliate leaves, and every part of the plant releases a strong resinous scent when cut.

It is one of the historic incense and balsam plants of Arabia, traded from the region for millennia, and it makes an unusual small sculptural specimen for hot rocky sites. It is used in heritage and ethnobotanical planting, rocky slope restoration and courtyard specimen work.

Specifications

• Height2 to 4 metres, occasionally to 5 metres
• Width2 to 3 metres
• Native toSouth west Arabia and the Horn of Africa, on rocky slopes and wadi sides
• FoliageSmall trifoliate leaves in light green, strongly aromatic; drought-deciduous and leafless for much of the dry season
• Growth rateSlow

Conditions

• SoilRequires sharply drained rocky, gravelly or shallow soils; will not accept heavy or wet ground
• LightFull sun
• WaterVery low; strongly drought-tolerant and easily lost to overwatering
• ClimateThrives in hot arid and semi-arid regions; frost-sensitive and unsuited to cold sites

Additional Features

• FormOpen, sculptural frame with smooth peeling bark, reading as a specimen rather than as mass planting
• UsesHeritage and ethnobotanical planting, rocky slope restoration, courtyard and gravel garden specimens
• SpacingPlant 3 to 4 metres apart, or singly as a specimen where the branch structure can be seen
• Low MaintenanceRequires no routine pruning; the main risk is excess irrigation rather than neglect
• Pest ResistanceFree of significant pest and disease problems in dry, well-drained conditions
• Drought ToleranceVery high, shedding foliage through the dry season and reshooting after rain
• FragranceBark, resin and foliage are strongly aromatic, and the resin is the historic balsam of the region
• Cultural SignificanceOne of the classical incense and balsam plants of Arabia, documented in trade for thousands of years
• Frost SensitivityDamaged by frost, restricting it to genuinely warm sites

The Arabian Balsam is a small heritage specimen tree, and it carries more history than almost anything else in the regional palette.