HOW LONG CAN A DRAGON BLOOD TREE LIVE?

Up to a third of its plant life is endemic. It has been described as “the most alien-looking place on Earth.” The island measures 132 kilometres (82 mi) in length and 49.7 kilometres (30.9 mi) in width. In 2008 Socotra was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Socotra is a breathtaking virgin landscape with a warm climate, pristine white sand beaches, mysterious trees, majestic jagged-fanged mountains and vividly bright coral reefs. It is easy to understand why several ancient texts suggest Socotra is the original location of the Garden of Eden.

SOCOTRA ARCHIPELAGO “DRAGON BLOOD TREES”.

Socotra Island is one of the most beautiful and unspoiled islands in the world. The island is well known for its Dragon Blood Trees and its surreal landscapes full of towering sand dunes and deep canyons. Native to a single island in the Socotra archipelago, off the coast of Yemen in the Arabian Sea, the extraordinary-looking dragon’s blood tree, which is classified as “vulnerable to extinction,” can grow to more than 30 feet in height and live for 650 years.

TRADE OF THE RED RESIN

The tree is perhaps best known for the red resin it is named after. Known to Socotris as ‘emzoloh’, this has a range of traditional medicinal uses. Referred to by the ancients as ‘cinnabar’, it was well known in trade before 60AD; and the dye ‘dragon’s blood’ is thought to have been responsible for the intense colour of Stradivarius violins. The monsoon season brings these areas cloud, drizzle and sea mists – and the dragon trees’ leaves intercept this airborne moisture, channelling it towards root systems shaded by a dense, umbrella-shaped canopy. The dragon tree’s strange looks and ancient age belie a species expertly adapted to its environment.

WHAT IS THE PLANT LIFE IN SOCOTRA?

Socotra’s various endemic aloes were also important historically for medicine and cosmetics. Other endemic plants include the giant succulent tree Dorstenia gigas, the cucumber tree Dendrosicyos socotranus, the rare Socotran pomegranate (Punica protopunica), Aloe perryi, and Boswellia socotrana.
The Socotra Archipelago boasts a rich flora, remarkable endemic species and plants with a long history of traditional use. With a total of 835 vascular plant species, 308 (37%) are endemic. There are also 74 bryophytes; one hornwort, 30 liverworts and 43 mosses, 6 of which are endemic to the island.
Human dependence on biodiversity extends beyond the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink. This dependence has been classified into four main services—provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting—and each is essential to human health.

THE DRAGON BLOOD TREE BENEFITS

Dragon’s Blood has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-platelet aggregation properties and is capable of promoting blood circulation and epidermal repair, besides displaying other pharmacological effects.
The healing property of Dragon’s Blood clears acne scars and other scarring by stimulating the growth of the skin’s fibroblasts, which aid in healing injured skin. The sap of the Dragon’s Blood tree helps reduce redness and swelling and aids in soothing skin issues such as inflammation, acne, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and rosacea while helping to speed up the wound healing process.

Dragon's Blood good for healing?

The results of clinical trials have shown that Dragon’s Blood cream can significantly improve wound healing duration. Other studies have reported the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Dragon’s Blood sap. It is also reported to inhibit lipid peroxidation in the liver of mice.

THE TREE THAT BLEEDS CRIMSON

Socotra’s Dragon’s Blood trees are the island’s most distinct natural feature. This bizarre tree, endemic to the island (though relative species of the Dracaena genus can be found in the Canary Islands, east and central Africa and Madagascar), bleeds a red sap when the trunk of the tree is sliced.

DRAGON'S BLOOD REASIN

Its scientific name is Dracaena cinnabari, though its nickname Dragon’s Blood, derived from legend, is more commonly used. Being a somewhat superstitious population, two local Socotri legends explain how the odd feature of the tree came to be. One tells the story of blood spilled between two brothers fighting to the death, while the second version is a tale of a dragon injured by an elephant during a duel. Which version is true depends on who you talk to.

MAGICAL AND MEDICINAL PROPERTIES DRACAENA CINNABARI

Since antiquity, the island was famous for its Dragon’s Blood, a red colored sap or resin produced by Dracaena cinnabari. This red resin was believed to have magical and medicinal properties. It was frequently used as medicine for respiratory and gastro- intestinal problems in the Mediterranean basin and by early Greeks, Romans and Arabs. The resin was said to have strong antiseptic and immune-stimulating properties. Locals still use it for treating diarrhea, fevers, mouth ulcers; wound healing, skin diseases, for dye, varnish, cosmetic, incense, painting, decorating earthen pots and performing social rituals.
The island of Socotra, off the coast of Yemen, is home to the Indigenous Socotri people as well one of the Earth’s oldest and most unique forested ecosystems – highlighted by the world-renowned population of endemic Dragon’s Blood trees (Dracaena cinnabari).

Socotra Dracaena woodland, the oldest forests communities on Earth.

The Dracaena woodland on Socotra Island is one of the oldest forests communities on Earth. They are all endemic and confined to small habitats. The plateau hosts the largest population of Dragon’s Blood trees. These trees are supposed to be remnant of the Miocene-Pliocene age xerophilous and sclerophyllous Tethyan flora and are almost extinct everywhere due to Pliocene climate changes. The Dragon’s Blood tree is a monocotyledonous evergreen tree with a typical umbrella-shaped canopy due to a “Draconid” ramification of its branches which helps in capturing the moisture. The Dragon’s Blood tree is an evergreen tree that can live up to 650 years and often reaches height of 35 to 39 feet. The name Dragon comes from the red-colored sap or resin that the tree produces.