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Copal - White Bursera jorullense

Description: From the tropical Bursera genus of deciduous trees in South America comes the highly prized resin called copal blanco. The resin has a rich incense history with the Mayan, Inca and Aztec civilizations, each of which called the tree "Copalquahuitl." The tree is closely related to the frankincense and myrrh trees.

The resin was considered a gift from the "god of lightning," who passed his power on to the tree. The Mayans burned the resin at sunrise to honor the Sun. The holy book of the Mayans says the divine god of the earth extracted copal resin from the tree of life and gave it to humans as a gift, making it a heavenly sacred resin.

Threatened Species Alert: Status: Vulnerable. The 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Agathis species are distinctive, highly sought and exploited for their valuable timber. Large stands of this species have been completely extracted throughout much of its range, most notably in Kalimantan. Exploitation continues to be heavy and regeneration in residual stands is insufficient to replace lost populations. In the past the tree has also been destructively exploited for copal. See Cropwatch and IUCN.

Family: Burseraceae

Synonyms: Copal Blanco, Torchwood

Origin: Mexico, South America, Western Africa

Parts Used: resin

Aroma Description: bright, light, citrusy, fruity

Emotional Attributes: refreshing, cleansing/purifying, relaxing, creativity, love

Cosmetic Uses: perfumery, aromatherapy; oil contains the chemical linalol and is extensively used in perfumes

Culinary Uses: oil is used for flavoring in the food industry for its lime-like bitter flavor

Medicinal Attributes: antimicrobial, antiseptic, used to reduce inflammation, control convulsions, treat nervous tension, acne, wounds, dermatitis, shown to have anti-tumor properties

Element Association:  Fire

Magical Associations: spirituality, protection

Astrological Association: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

Planetary Association: Sun

Season: Summer

Aromatic Note: Base note

Essential Oil: Yes, contains a highly prized chemical known as linalol, extensively used in perfumes, especially those with floral notes.

Mixes Well With: basil, benzoin, borneol camphor, copal-gold, copal-black, dammar, elemi, eucalyptus, frankincense, lemongrass, mastic, palo santo wood, rosemary, sage, storax, tolu balsam, tonka beans, vanilla, etc.

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