The frankincense tree is known as the most precious plant on earth and is a real highlight in the garden. Here's how to plant and care for it.
Frankincense trees (Boswellia) are at home in harsh desert areas. They grow there between rocks and easily withstand longer periods of drought. One might therefore think that caring for the Boswellia is child's play, even in our latitudes. Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple. Frankincense will remain exotic in our gardens and requires some maintenance. It is particularly important to find the right location and select the right substrate. Therefore, the planting of the frankincense trees is given special priority. You can read about what you should pay attention to in detail below.
Plant Description
The frankincense tree belongs to the genus Boswellia. About 25 species are known. The trees can reach between two and eight meters in height. The plants originally come from the arid regions of Africa, India and Arabia. The balsam trees grow there on poor, rocky soils up to an altitude of 1,200 meters.
The frankincense tree, cultivated in our latitudes, often proves to be a real problem child, because the plants react sensitively to changes of any kind. Success in growth will also be sluggish, since the plants grow very slowly. The germination rate of the seeds is also rather low.
If you want to own an incense tree, you have to dig deep into your pocket. This can be explained not least by the fact that frankincense is described as the most precious plant on earth and the frankincense obtained from the plants was once called "white gold" and was in fact worth gold. If you would like to get a frankincense tree in your garden, then prices of 100 euros and more for young plants are not uncommon today.
Famous and popular frankincense tree species
The genus Boswellia can be divided into 25 species. However, not all frankincense tree species are used to produce incense. Depending on the distribution area, there are also different typesdistinguished:
Safflower species
Boswellia sacra
Boswellia serrata
Boswellia papyrifera
Boswellia frereana
Region
Southern Arabia
India
Ethiopia
SomaliaOf the known species, only four varieties are discussed as the main suppliers of the resin. This includes Indian frankincense (Boswellia serrata). The plant is the only type of frankincense tree that is also of medical importance and can be used for therapeutic purposes. The situation is different with the resin of Boswellia frereana. In their homeland of Somalia, it is often used like chewing gum by the residents. Because of its lemony smell, Boswellia papyrifera is often used in the cosmetics industry because the incesol acetate it contains can have an anti-inflammatory effect.
By the way:
Frankincense trees are not to be confused with the harp bush, which is cultivated in Europe as a balcony plant. There is no botanical relationship between the two plants.
Find the right location
You shouldn't make any compromises when choosing a location. Since the plants do not tolerate frost, year-round outdoor cultivation is not possible anyway. So you have the option of keeping them in buckets with frost-free wintering indoors. If the night temperatures no longer fall below 15 degrees, the plants can go outside again. Otherwise, a bright and heated conservatory is the ideal location.
Plants will do well in a warm spot in full sun. High humidity is also very good for the plants. In line with their natural location, the plants also like it cooler and airier at night. The incense can also stand unprotected, because the wind doesn't bother it. However, the plants do not like to get cold feet and do not tolerate too wet a stand.
The ideal location in keywords:
- warm
- light
- sunny
- breezy
- dry
By the way: Frankincense grows slowly, so it doesn't take up much space.
Selecting the ideal substrate
The frankincense grows in rocky and barren regions. The nutrient demands on the soil are therefore not very high. On the other hand, the plant makes demands with regard to the soil conditions. It is therefore advisable to produce the substrate yourself. To do this, mix unit soil with sand and gravel in equal parts. When choosing the substrate, you can use cactus and succulent soil as a guide. You can also mix in coconut fibersbecause the storage properties of the substrate reduce the casting effort.
However, the floor must not be too heavy and too wet. So if you ensure dry and well-drained soil, you have created good conditions for he althy plant growth.
Keywords for the right substrate:
- permeable
- rather lean
- dry
- sandy
- rocky
Plant incense tree - step by step instructions
❍ Step 1 - Select location and planter:
You should be able to offer the incense a warm and sunny place in the house. The plant will stay there for most of the year, because the plant is only allowed outdoors if the thermometer does not drop below 15 degrees at night. You don't need to choose a planter that is too big. The plants grow very slowly anyway.
By the way:
Moving to a new planter is often acknowledged with leaf fall.
❍ Step 2 - Create drainage:
The plant pot should have sufficient drainage holes for the irrigation water. In order to effectively counteract the formation of waterlogging, it is advisable to create drainage on the bottom of the planter. Simply place gravel or shards of pottery on the bottom of the vessel.
❍ Step 3 - Water the plant:
So that the root ball can soak up water, you should place the plant in a bucket of water for about an hour before placing it in the planter. If no more air bubbles rise from the container, the incense has been saturated with sufficient moisture.
❍ Step 4 - Insert plant:
After you have prepared the substrate as already described, the plant is carefully placed in the planter and covered with soil. Be careful not to damage the roots.
❍ Step 5 - Water the plant:
Press the soil lightly and water the plant well. Finally, depending on the season, you can place the planter in the warm room or on the sunny terrace.