COMMON NAME: Storax, Levant Styrax, Styrax, Sweet Gum. Red Gum, Turkish Sweet Gum

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Liquidambar orientalis, L. styraciflua (American), Balsam styracis

FAMILY NAME: Hamamelidaceae (Witch-hazel)

INDIGENOUS COUNTRY: Asia, Americas

COUNTRY OF PRODUCTION: Honduras, North America, Guatemala, Asia

HISTORY INFORMATION: There is some confusion over this oil. There are really two varieties of trees yielding this oil. L. orientialis is the variety native to Asia. L. styraciflua is the American variety. Both are called Sweet Gum Trees. The trees are very similar and the oil seems to be interchangeable. The major difference is that the oriental version has smaller fruit and smoother leave, and the gum is slightly lighter and not as hard. Native Americans used it primarily for cleaning and healing wounds. The early settlers used the balsam to relieve hemorrhoids, ringworm, and skin infections. The gum of the tree is an ingredient in traditional preparations of various ointments and syrups for the treatment of dysentery and diarrhea.

GENERAL INFORMATION: The oil is extracted pathologically being that the tree is cut or wounded to collect its gum. Sometimes the tree's bark is pounded so that the tree produces the liquid gum beneath the bark. We decided not to use the name Styrax for this oil as there is some confusion with its similarity with Benzoin (Styrax benzoin) as it seems the two are often mixed for respiratory remedies. I am not sure but a storax oil was possibly one of the balms of Gilead in the Bible. It is used to isolate cinnamic alcohol. Often adulterated. Mix with labdanum resin and you create an amber like resin.

DESCRIPTION OF PLANT: A deciduous tree growing up to 128 ft high with grayish brown furrowed bark bearing leaves seven inches long with five deep lobes making a star shape producing a fruit that is a ball of many woody beaked capsules.

PARTS PROCESSED: Crude gum.

PROCESSING METHODS: Steam distilled. Resinoid.

COLOR RANGE: Clear to light yellow.

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS: Class: Terpene. Mainly styrene with some vanillin, benzyl alcohol, cinnamic alcohol, and esters.

PHYSICAL ACTIONS AND USES: Anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antitussive, bactericidal, balsamic, cicatrizant, expectorant, nervine, stimulant, vulnerary. Used for ringworm, scabies, cuts, acne, ulcers, eczema, wounds (AVOID USE ON SKIN benzyl and cinamic alcohols readily absorbed by skin causing skin sensitization seems to have short term healing but permanent sensitization), bronchitis, colds, anxiety, and stress related problems. Used to calm, fortify the nerves, break down cellulite or remove lymphatic deposits, reduce inflammation, and to calm anger.

MENTAL USES: I am powerful. I use my power creatively and harmlessly.

EMOTIONAL USES: Angry, controlling, bossy, bullying, or being assaulted, controlled, dominated TO confident, powerful, able to deflect assaults, harmless

SPIRITUAL USES: Can indicate that you have confronted powerful destructive tendencies in yourself or others. This can be frightening. We would like to be the creators or the good guys, however life cannot be without compost or destruction. Storax allows one to resolve destruction and creation issues. All things must die or be destroyed to make way for the new. The cells in our body are renewed every seven years. Without destruction there would be no life, but the destroying for power or domination only leads to extinction, not life or progress. A truly powerful person can override a destructive person harmlessly.

APPLICATIONS: Bath(under proper supervision), inhaler, massage.

WARNINGS\CONTRAINDICATIONS: Tested hazardous as a very sensitizing allergen which could cause dermatitis, cross reaction with cinnamon bark