Sweetgum Tree

Sweetgum tree is a tree with smooth body, delicate and broad-leaved tree which can grow as high as 30-35 meters in length and 100 cm in diameter. The kind of sweetgum prevalent in Turkey is the Liquidambar Orientalis Miller.

Frankincense oil obtained from the sweetgum tree is a good antiseptic and antiparasitic. Taken internally, frankincense oil is used in the upper respiratory tract diseases such as asthma bronchitis. In addition, it is beneficial for skin diseases such as scabies and fungus in the case of parvad and moxibustion. Mixture of frankincense oil and chickpea powder is used for treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Moreover, sweetgum tree resins are used by placing on the chest in the case of cough by burning like incense and placed between cotton.

Sweetgum tree has a particularly important role in the perfume and soap industry. Alcoholic solutions function as a fixator to detect the smell of perfume. It is used to give the smell of tobacco. The remaining substance called incense is used by burning as incense in mosques and churches. In addition, it is an interesting fact that the ancient Egyptian benefitted from this oil for preparing the mummy.

Sweetgum is a plant which is used for both producing balsam and decorative purposes. Scratches to the tree trunk are opened in the spring in order to obtain frankincense oil. The secretions deposited on the body of the tree since July and the shell is scraped with special knives. After boiling this secretion and shells, sweetgum oil is obtained by squeezing the boiled materials in special presses.

According to data from the year 2007, of 1.348 hectares of total sweetgum area in Turkey, 1,128.5 hectares is in Muğla.