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Boris Khvostichenko(User:Boriskhv), CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Dragons Blood

croton

The Dragon's Blood tree overgrows, reaching a height of 15 meters (49 feet). It bears greenish-white blooms and big, heart-shaped leaves.

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History & Folklore

The bright crimson sap or latex that flows from the tree when the bark is sliced gives rise to the moniker "Dragon's Blood." Applying latex to wounds, fractures, skin illnesses, and bug bites is a valued treatment from the jungle. It is administered internally to treat viral infections, stomach ulcers, diarrhea, and dysentery. It is also used as a vaginal wash before and after childbirth. Its usage was first documented in writing in 1653 (Bernabe Cobo, Historia del Nuevo Mundo).

Habitat & Cultivation

The rainforest tree known as "dragon's blood" is indigenous to northwest Amazonia, spanning Bolivia to Colombia. It likes locations with disturbed soil and riverbanks. The local indigenous people grow it as a sustainable crop for the environment.

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