Hortus Botanicus Leiden, Netherlands

Common name: Drakenbloedboom, Dragon tree

Family: Asparagaceae (Aspergefamilie)

Distribution: Canary Islands

Life form: Woody

Comments: What is dragon’s blood? A red resin produced by the stem of several species of Dracaena, which was already called Dragon’s blood by the Ancients. This resin was used as a source of medicine and pigment, and in the preparation of varnishes. This resin was probably obtained from Dracaena cinnabari of the island Socotra, on the Somalian coast. There are about 40 different species of Dracaena, most of them in the tropics.