Boswellia Carterii vs. Frereana: What's the Difference?

If you've shopped for frankincense before, you've probably seen both names — Boswellia carterii and Boswellia frereana — used almost interchangeably. They shouldn't be. The two species look different, smell different, and are traditionally used differently across the Horn of Africa.

Boswellia carterii

This is the frankincense most people picture: rounded, amber-to-gold tears with a warm, resinous, slightly citrus-sweet aroma when burned. It's the backbone of most commercial frankincense, used in incense, perfumery, and traditional medicine across the region. In Puntland, it's harvested primarily from the Karkaar mountains and the Cal Miskaad range.

Boswellia frereana (Maydi)

Known locally as maydi, this species produces a paler, more brittle resin with a sharper, more citrus-forward, almost pine-like scent — brighter and less sweet than carterii. Uniquely, maydi is also chewed traditionally, much like a natural gum, valued for freshening breath and aiding digestion. It grows in a narrower range, concentrated along the Sanaag border region, and harvesting rights there are often held by the same families for generations.

Which should you choose?

• For classic incense burning — Boswellia carterii is the traditional choice, and what most burners expect.
• For a brighter, more citrus top note (in blends, or in perfumery) — frereana adds lift that carterii alone doesn't.
• For traditional chewing — frereana is the species used; carterii is not typically chewed.

Both are available across our grade range — see the Shop page to compare tear appearance and pricing directly, or read more about how we grade each on our Why Our Resin page.