Which tree species is known as the dragon blood tree of Socotra?

Dracaena cinnabari is the tree species known as the dragon blood tree of Socotra.

Dracaena cinnabari is endemic to Socotra, an island archipelago in the Arabian Sea belonging to Yemen. It has a distinctive umbrella-shaped crown, with stiff leaves clustered at the ends of branches. The shape helps shade the trunk and roots while allowing condensed moisture and rain to reach the ground around the tree.

The species gets its common name from the dark red resin that flows from wounds in its bark. This resin, called dragon’s blood, has been collected and used historically in dyes, varnishes, incense and traditional medicine. The name does not mean that the tree has animal blood or that all dragon’s-blood resins come from this species.

Dracaena cinnabari is threatened by habitat change, grazing, climate pressures and limited natural regeneration in some areas. It is often confused with Dracaena draco, another dragon tree native to the Canary Islands and nearby regions.