Incense In The Wind

Radiating Incense In The Wind - a painting by Hai Linh Le

Thursday 14 May 2015

Dragon's blood




Dragon's blood is traditionally produced from the dracaena species of tree, such as dracaena draco - which is depicted in Bosch's painting, The Garden of Earthly Delights. The resin from the dracaena tree is a lovely red colour, and has been used since at  least Roman times as a dye, a medicine, a varnish and as incense. Stradivarius violins are stained with dragon's blood. Because of the demand for the resin, the price of resin from these trees is quite high, and berries from daemonoropes draco, or the dragon's blood palm, are used instead.

Dragon's blood has a great name, and a compelling appearance of dusky red. It has a long history as an incense, a medicine, and various other uses. It is a legendary and almost mythical substance, with some uncertainty as to the exact original ancient source.  It comes from a variety of plants - anciently it mainly came from either dracaena cinnabari, the dragon blood tree, or dracaena draco, the Canary Islands dragon tree; modern dragon's blood mostly comes from the fruit of daemonorops draco, the dragon's blood palm, which grows in Southeast Asia. 

Thomas Kinkele, the German author of  Incense And Incense Rituals, says of dragon's blood: "dark/tart somewhat gum-like burnt smelling fragrance ... indecisiveness and timidity are transformed with an intense burst of fire into strength and courage".



The incense is burned in some circles for its cleansing quality, also for protection and sexual potency. There are some people who think that it can be smoked as a substitute for opium. And it is also used in skin cream as an anti-aging agent.

Reviews


Aromatika Ace Scents 
Dragon Blood
 May 2025 - Score: 45*


Cleopatra Dragon Blood resin
March 2019 - Score: 
30↑


Satya (BNG) Dragon's Blood
Dec 2019 - Score
28


HEM Dragon's Blood
May 2015 - Score: 26*


Aasha Aromatics Dragons Blood
Oct 2018 - Score: 25*


 March 2013 - Score: 20*

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