Here is a clear, structured technical and business overview of Manila Elemi — perfect for your agroforestry models, grower guides, business plans, and extraction ventures (CAPI, CESI, ANOC, COPI).
A high-value Philippine resin crop used in perfumery, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics
1. Botanical Profile
Scientific Name: Canarium luzonicum
Family: Burseraceae
Common Names: Manila Elemi, Pili Elemi
Tree Height: 20–30 m
Resin Type: Oleoresin (aromatic, pale yellow → amber)
Aroma Profile: Fresh, lemony, peppery, balsamic — similar to frankincense but softer.
2. Major Uses & Global Markets
A. Perfumery & Aromatherapy
- Fixative in high-end perfumes
- Used in incense, aromatherapy blends
- Blends well with citrus, frankincense, ylang-ylang, agarwood
B. Cosmetics & Skin Care
- Anti-inflammatory, cicatrisant
- Popular in anti-aging, wound-healing creams
C. Pharmaceutical & Industrial
- Antiseptic ointments
- Varnishes, lacquers, adhesives
Market Trends
- Growing demand for natural aromatic resins
- Sustainable “forest-to-fragrance” sourcing preferred
- EU and Gulf markets expanding for premium elemi oil
3. Resin Production
How Resin is Tapped
- Similar to frankincense tapping
- Light incisions in bark → oleoresin exudes
- Resin hardens into “tears”
- Harvested every 7–14 days
- Season: Dry months (Nov–May)
Annual Resin Yield:
5–6 kg per mature tree (25–40 years old)
Commercial tapping possible at 15–18 years old.
4. Essential Oil Extraction (CESI SC-CO₂ Ready)
SC-CO₂ Yield:
- 5–7% oil (higher purity than steam distillation)
Oil Characteristics:
- Clear → pale yellow
- Lemony, piney, incensy, sweet
- Rich in α-pinene, limonene, elemol, elemicin
Premium Grades (For ANOC / Ethereal Scent)
- Grade A: 100% pure resin-derived oil
- Grade B: Mix of resin and distilled sap
- Grade C: Lower aroma, industrial
5. Agronomy & Cultivation Model
(For CAPI plantations and agroforestry with Agarwood)
Site Requirements
- Climate: Tropical, humid
- Rainfall: 2,000–3,000 mm
- Soil: Well-drained loam, pH 5.5–6.5
- Elevation: 0–800 masl
Propagation
- Seeds (stratified)
- Wildlings
- COPI tissue culture (to be developed: somatic embryogenesis & shoot multiplication)
Planting Distance
- 8 m × 8 m (156 trees/ha)
- Mixed agroforestry with agarwood:
- 8×8 Elemi + 3×3 Agarwood
- Shade modulation improves early Aquilaria growth
Maintenance
- Minimal fertilization
- Organic amendments (COFI BioGrow™, compost)
- Pruning every 2–3 years for canopy control
- Pest/disease: Leaf borers, sooty mold (manageable organically)
6. Economic Model
Estimated Revenue / Tree (Resin only)
- 5 kg/year × PHP 300–500/kg raw resin
→ PHP 1,500–2,500 per tree per year
Revenue / Hectare (156 trees)
→ PHP 234,000 – 390,000 / year from resin alone
Value-added (through CESI):
- 6% oil yield → 300 g oil/tree
- Elemi essential oil market price: PHP 15,000–25,000 per liter
Upscaled (ANOC perfumery blends) → 10–20× value.
7. Agroforestry Model: Elemi + Agarwood
A high-synergy pairing:
Benefits
- Elemi provides shade/windbreaks for Aquilaria
- Root systems do not compete aggressively
- Both produce resin — dual-resin income
- Elemi resin tapping does not disturb Agarwood cycles
Ideal Layout
- Elemi rows every 8 m
- Agarwood planted between rows at 3×3 spacing
- Annual maintenance shared → reduced cost
8. Inclusion in Your Business Plans
I can fully integrate Manila Elemi into:
✔ CAPI – Agroforestry Plantation Models
✔ CESI – SC-CO₂ Extraction feedstock & processing
✔ COPI – Organogenesis protocols for Burseraceae species
✔ ANOC – Perfume & Aromatherapy product lines
✔ AGAC – Cooperative income for farmer communities
What would you like next?
I can prepare any of the following:
A. Full Technical Growers’ Guide for Manila Elemi
B. Business Plan / Feasibility Study for Elemi Resin & Oil
C. Elemi + Agarwood Agroforestry Model (visual + financials)
D. SC-CO₂ Extraction Process Flow (CESI-ready)
E. Perfume formulation ideas using Elemi (ANOC/Ethereal Scent)
F. COPI organogenesis R&D protocol outline for Elemi
Just tell me “A, B, C, D, E, or F” — or any combination.