Historically, myrrh was also an embalming fluid—hence Hapshetsut’s dogged interest in the plant. Both have religious value; they were melted to honor the gods and ward off evil spirits.

The myrrh is a thorny plant with leathery leaves, and its sap comes out clear and dries into reddish crystals. Frankincense is more treelike, and its resin is milky, ...

Myrrh, the aromatic gift from one of the three Wise Men to the infant Jesus, is turning out to have some pretty amazing medical capabilities, scientists are finding 2,000 years later.

Myrrh comes from a plant called Commiphora myrrha, a native of Arabia, Ethiopia and most of northern Africa. In Arabic, "mur" means bitter. This refers to the taste, not the smell.

Gold, I knew. Everyone agreed it made a more than acceptable gift. In addition to announcing that the one being gifted was special indeed, it also signaled that the giver ...