Synonyms:

No synonyms are recorded for this name.

Habitat:

Commiphora unilobata is native to Somalia, but also found in Kenya and Ethiopia, between 120 and 310 meters above sea level.

Description:

Commiphora unilobata is a perennial plant native to Somalia, but also found in Kenya and Ethiopia, between 120 and 310 meters above sea level.

This plant is a shrub or a sapling that reaches up to 3 meters in height. It is not very branched, so the thick, stubby green-gray trunk, about 25 centimeters thick, really stands out, not least for its yellowish bark which literally looks like dry skin coming off in layers!

From the few twigs the leaves sprout in tufts: they are compound leaves, that is, they “group” into groups of 9 leaflets united by the same stalk, bright green, smooth. The small flowers bloom from inflorescences bearing fiery red buds, covered with a soft fuzz.

Cultivation:

The cultivation technique of Commiphora unilobata is similar to that of other Commiphoras.

Exposure to sunlight must be direct and you should never leave them at temperatures below 6-8ºC.

Choose a very well draining but moderately fertile soil, such as, for example, a mix of coarse sand and peat.

Commiphora should be given water approximately every 3-4 days in Spring and Summer, which is their growing season. With the arrival of Winter it is necessary to reduce water supply until completely suspending it. When the plant wants to tell you that it’s thirsty, the caudex becomes smaller and wrinkled.

Propagation:

As well as through sowing, generally they can be propagated also through branch cuttings, but with the help of a specific product to be sprayed on the wound which favors the rooting.

Curiosity:

Their name comes from the Greek kommi, “gum” and “phorus”, hole. Many species of Commiphora in fact form gummy resins such as Mecca balsam and myrrh (extracted from C. myrrha), which are widely used in cosmetics and the production of incense.