Dragonās blood
Dragonās blood, red resin obtained from the fruit of several palms of the genus Daemonorops and used in colouring varnishes and lacquers. Once valued as a medicine in Europe because of its astringent properties, dragonās blood now is used as a varnish for violins and in photoengraving for preventing undercutting of the printing surface during etching.
Dragon's blood treeDragon's blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari).
Daemonorops draco, a rattan palm native to Malaysia and Indonesia, produces much of the dragonās blood of commerce. Other sources are Dracaena cinnabari of the island of Socotra, east of Somalia; Dracaena draco of the Canary Islands; Croton draco of Mexico; and Croton lechleri of Peru and Ecuador, where it is used locally to heal wounds and as an astringent.
This article was most recently revised and updated by J.E. Luebering.
Citation Information
Article Title:
Dragonās blood
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
14 November 2026
Access Date:
November 14, 2026