What is Dragon's Blood Resin? How can you Differentiate between True Dragon's Blood Resin and the Fake Ones

True Dragon's Blood resin from Dracaena Cinnabari, Socotra Yemen

What is Dragon's Blood?
Dragon's blood is a bright red resin which is obtained from different species of a number of distinct plant genera: Croton, Dracaena, Daemonorops, Calamus rotang and Pterocarpus. The red resin has been in continuous use since ancient times as varnish, medicine, incense, and dye.

Name and Sources
A great degree of confusion existed for the ancients in regard to the source and identity of dragon's blood. Some medieval encyclopedias claimed its source as the literal blood of elephants and dragons who had perished in mortal combat. There are approximately 20 different trees around the world that supply a red resin called Dragons Blood. Some grow in Asia and others South America, but, it is only the Dragon's Blood from the Dracaena Cinnabari tree on the island of Socotra is the original resin traded for thousands of years to the West along with Frankincense and Myrrh through the "Incense Route". For this reason, it is considered to be the material referred to in ancient Greek and Medieval texts, formularies and Pharmacopoeias through the ages. This has lent this resin the nickname "Medieval" Dragon's Blood.

Dracaena Cinnabari - TRUE Dragon's Blood (Socotra, Yemen)
The resin of Dracaena species, the "true" dragon's blood, and the very poisonous mineral cinnabar (mercury sulfide) were often confused by the ancient Romans. In ancient China, little or no distinction was made among the types of dragon's blood from the different species. The resin is exuded from the wounded trunk or branches of the Dracaena Cinnabari, which is endemic to the island of Socotra. This resin was traded to ancient Europe via the Incense Road.

Daemonorops (Indonesia)
Dragon's blood resin is also produced from the rattan palms of the genus Daemonorops of the Indonesian islands (Sumatra) and known there as jernang or djernang. It is gathered by breaking off the layer of red resin encasing the unripe fruit of the rattan. The collected resin is then rolled into solid balls before being sold. Both Dracaena and Daemonorops resins are still often marketed today as dragon's blood, with little or no distinction being made between the plant sources; however, the resin obtained from Daemonorops has become the most commonly sold type in modern times, often in the form of large balls of resin.

Dracaena Draco (Canary Islands and Morocco)
Voyagers to the Canary Islands in the 15th century obtained dragon's blood as dried garnet-red drops from Dracaena draco, a tree native to the Canary Islands and Morocco. 

Croton (South America)
The red latex of the Sangre de Drago (called Sangre de Grado in Peru), from any of seven species of Croton native to Peru, Ecuador and Brazil, has purported wound-healing and antioxidant properties, and has been used for centuries by native people.

Differences between TRUE Dragon's Blood and the FAKE ones
Now that you have an understanding of the different types of Dragon's Blood available we will try to help you understand how to differentiate between them to ensure that you are aware of which is the TRUE Dragon's Blood from the Dracaena Cinnabari native to Socotra, Yemen.

We have found that many online vendors are selling fake "Dragon's Blood from Socotra". Instead of resin from the Dracaena Cinnabari that is produced only on Socotra, Daemonorops resin from Sumatra, Indonesia is most likely offered.

After performing a little research and investigation one can easily find sellers offering uninformed buyers hundreds of kilo of “dragon's blood from Socotra”. However, the total amount of resin that is collected at Socotra every four years is approximately 500 kg. By agreement between the local sheikhs, cuts are not made on the trees and the collection takes place only every four years so that the resin comes out on the bark naturally. Most of the resin goes to the domestic Arab market, where this resin is well known and appreciated.

​In addition, the fake dragon blood is different in appearance. The fake dragon blood looks like this:

Fake Dragon's Blood resin from Daemonorops, Sumatra, Indonesia

Fake Dragon's Blood resin from Daemonorops, Sumatra, Indonesia

It can be seen that it has a different consistency and most likely has been cooked (pressed).
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On the other hand, notice the difference with the TRUE and REAL resin of Dracaena Cinnabari from Socotra (below):

True Dragon's Blood resin from Dracaena Cinnabari, Socotra Yemen

True Dragon's Blood resin from Dracaena Cinnabari, Socotra Yemen

Here at Crypto Frankincense we take our resins seriously. We only USE and SELL authentic resins and essential oils from where they are meant to originate from. We only source products that can be sustainably and ethically harvested from Oman and Yemen. Our Dragon's Blood, when in stock, because it is extremely rare, will only ever be the TRUE and REAL Dragon's Blood from the Dracaena Cinnabari native to the Islands of Socotra in Yemen. 

To buy and find out more about this ancient resin, please visit our Shopee store. God Bless you.
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**** ALL OUR FRANKINCENSE, MYRRH, AND DRAGON'S BLOOD PRODUCTS ARE DIRECT FROM OUR SUPPLIERS IN OMAN AND YEMEN. THEY ARE 100% AUTHENTIC, UNLIKE MANY OTHERS WHO PROVIDE INFERIOR QUALITY AND FAKE RESINS AND PURE ESSENTIAL OILS ****
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Medical Disclaimer:
Information on this web site is for entertainment purposes only. This information is NOT intended as medical advice or for use as diagnosis or treatment of a health problem or as a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional.