Rare Khazam tree rediscovered in Saudi Arabia: A glimpse into its ancient uses and medicinal benefits

Cairo: A rare and historically significant tree has reappeared in the Al Baha region of southwestern Saudi Arabia.

Known since ancient times, the Khazam tree has long been valued for its aesthetic and medicinal benefits.

Standing on a trunk nearly three meters high with numerous branches at the top, the Khazam tree is found in the Sarawat Mountains, stretching from Yemen to western Hijaz.

It passes through the mountains west of Medina and reaches the Radwa Mountains.

According to botanist Ahmed Qashash, the tree produces a red sap extracted from its trunk.

Over time, the sap hardens and turns brown. This substance has multiple uses, including sterilizing wounds, treating gingivitis, stopping bleeding, decorating home entrances, dyeing clothes, polishing pottery in the varnish industry, and serving as an adhesive.

Additionally, it is used in pharmaceuticals, pastes, inks, and paints.

The Khazam tree was also used in ancient times for drawing and writing on rocks. Some of these drawings are estimated to date back nearly 4,000 years BC, highlighting the tree's historical importance. The trunks of the tree are used in the manufacture of beehives, though this has contributed to the decline of the tree in some areas.

The tree's survival has also been threatened by attacks from apes, particularly during dry seasons, as they remove the bark and consume the nectar from the trunk's core.