Originally published at: Mystery tree grown from 1,000-year-old seed likely source of ancient medicinal balm - Boing Boing
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From Allan Rose Hill
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Somebody set up us the balm?
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that’s a likely tsori…,
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Pic doesn’t click. That’s very dated, that Methusalem, though. But still, not a Commie. I can smell it.
Any chance this tree can produce viable seeds?
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The article says it hasn’t flowered yet, which is also part of the reason its identification is uncertain. 
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I think there’s a chance but i wonder how the tree reproduces. Some plants would need a male and female pair, but ultimately it would be possible to propagate with cuttings and also cell cultures but they’d all be clones which can cause issues with diseases if all the plants are identical.
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Fingers crossed! Even if the tree has to be cloned and might be disease-prone, it’s still something that hadn’t existed for centuries and is worthy of being kept around.
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Mystery tree?
Duh!
Obviously, it’s a balm tree.
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it could maybe be a palm tree. i’ve got no references but i’m pretty sure i read that what we call a palm today is not the tree called a palm in the bible.
( eta: no disrespect to a proper pun intended. just actuallying cause i think the palm vs palm thing is interesting )
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psalm tree?
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Maybe an alms tree
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SMS? Or MMS?
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OTOH there is someone out there proclaiming that literally every little thing in the Bible is actually something else, because reasons
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I think you got that the wrong way around.
On palm Sunday, Buxus sempervivens is used. The ashes on Ash Wednesday is Buxus. The reason would be that most of Central Europe didn’t have palms available during most of the time, so liturgically you would be in a tight spot to use palm leaves.
No such problems in the Middle East, and of course parts of the Mediterranean. But TTBOMK, they also use Buxus. I’m not knowledgeable enough to say if This Is The Way, or if It Is Written.
My puns above seem to have been over the heads here, so just a quick update without puns: this is the wrong picture for this article. This is not a Commiphora depicted, but a palm. In fact, it is a famous palm:
Seed longevity is a fascinating subject, and if you go down this rabbit hole I could chime in and give some tips for first starters.
Also, this is a thing, and would be worth supporting, financially as well as ideally:
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