Acacia

(Acacia mangium)

Acacia has been known as a sacred tree in Jewish history. Gum product of the tree is known as gum acacia or gum Arabic. It is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae. Gum of the tree is collected using olden techniques.  One technique is by making a small opening in the tree trunk and letting the gum accumulate gradually, till it is ready for collection. Another method is to boil the crushed wood and evaporate the liquid to collect the gum. Name of the tree has a Greek origin meaning sharp point, may be because it is thorny nature.  The tree is mostly grown in tropical areas.

As medicine it is used to treat cough, sore throat and catarrh. Diluted water solution of Acacia is also used as eyewash.

Surprisingly enough, it has over a thousand species grown worldwide. Herbal scientists have only mentioned a few used for health benefits. Acacia is mostly found in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Leaves of acacia are compounding pinnate (having tiny leaflets on both sides). Shape of the leaves may differ minutely among different species and geographical locations.

Through centuries, Acacia wood has been used as incense due to its nice fragrance. Even today Arabs burn acacia in their homes as an air freshener. Small quantities of acacia are also used in cooking to get a nice smell, especially in rice.

Roots, barks and raisins of this tree are used to make incense. Incense from acacia can be made using alone or combined with other aromatic herbs or essential oils.