Copal – White

Bursera jorullense, Bursera altijuga

Aromatic Note: Base note

Description:

From the tropical Bursera genus of deciduous trees in South America comes the highly prized resin called copal blanco.

The white resin has a rich incense history with the Mayan, Inca and Aztec civilizations, each of which called the tree “Copalquahuitl.”

The white copal 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.

The tree is closely related to the frankincense and myrrh trees.

Threatened Species Alert: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species includes the species, Bursera altijuga.

Status: Endangered. See IUCN.

Monograph:

Family: Burseraceae

Synonyms: Copal Blanco, Torchwood

Origin: Mexico, South America, Western Africa

Parts Used: resin

Aroma Description: bright, light, citrusy, fruity

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

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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