Which botanical species does this storax balsam oil come from, and where is it harvested?
This storax balsam oil is steam-distilled or supercritical CO2-extracted from the balsamic exudate resin harvested from the wounded bark of the Storax tree — Liquidambar orientalis Mill. (Turkish storax) or Liquidambar formosana Hance (Chinese sweetgum), members of the Hamamelidaceae (witch-hazel) family and one of the world's oldest documented fragrances.
Species & Origin
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Liquidambar orientalis Mill. (Turkish storax) / Liquidambar formosana Hance (Chinese sweetgum) |
| Family | Hamamelidaceae (witch-hazel family) |
| Part used | Balsamic exudate resin from the wounded bark (Styrax / Su He Xiang) |
| Product code | TPS-HO-008 |
| Origin | Turkey (Mugla Province, SW Anatolia — over 90% of the world's wild storax trees); Chinese cultivation: Guangxi, Yunnan, Anhui Huoshan, Fujian Wuyishan |
| Historical status | One of the world's most ancient fragrances — used in ancient Egypt ~3000 years ago for mummification and incense; a Holy Anointing Oil ingredient in the Bible; top-grade medicine in the Shennong Bencao Jing |
- Under the ChP 2025 supplement, the source is strictly limited to Liquidambar orientalis or L. formosana resin distillates, with no adulteration by synthetic aromatics or other plant oils allowed
- Geographic-indication protected production areas: Anhui Huoshan, Fujian Wuyishan, Yunnan Xinping (国家地理标志产品保护示范区; mutual-recognition list of the China–EU GI Agreement)
- Official TCM name: 苏合香 Su He Xiang (Styrax); historical aliases include 苏合油 (storax oil), 帝膏, 帝油流
- ChP 2025 records: semi-fluid thick liquid, brownish-yellow to dark brown, translucent, sticky, aromatic, dissolving in 90% ethanol, carbon disulfide, chloroform or glacial acetic acid
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This article was published on 2026-09-07, and last updated on 2026-09-07. The article will be continuously updated.
