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Elemi Resin from the Philippines – Canarium luzonicum
Elemi is a natural, soft tree resin with an unusually fresh fragrance profile. This elemi comes from Canarium luzonicum, a tree native to the Philippines and belonging to the Burseraceae family – the same plant family that includes frankincense and myrrh trees.
The resin is obtained by making incisions in the bark. A pale, milky plant sap initially emerges, then hardens in the air and gradually develops a creamy white to slightly yellowish colour. Elemi nevertheless remains comparatively soft and sticky, making it clearly different from many dry incense resins.
When burned, elemi releases a fresh, citrusy and lightly spicy-peppery fragrance with resinous, pine-like nuances and a subtly balsamic background. Its lively character differs noticeably from the heavier, sweeter aromas of benzoin or myrrh, while at the same time showing a certain aromatic affinity with frankincense.
Elemi has a long tradition in the Philippines as a natural tree resin. Through European trade, Philippine elemi reached Europe as early as the Spanish colonial period, where the aromatic resin was used, among other things, in perfumery.
Elemi is also traditionally used as an incense material. In various incense traditions, its smoke is associated with cleansing and a clear, pleasant atmosphere in a room. Thanks to its fresh fragrance character, elemi can be burned on its own or combined with other resins. These meanings are based on traditional and cultural customs.
Place a small amount of elemi on glowing incense charcoal or slowly warm the resin on a suitable incense sieve or metal plate. Because of its soft and sticky consistency, elemi can be more difficult to portion than dry frankincense resin.
Practical tip: The resin can be placed in the freezer for about 30 minutes before portioning. The cold temporarily makes it firmer, allowing it to be divided more easily and handled more cleanly.
