Other conspecific taxa:

• Myroxylon balsamum (4 accessions)
• Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae (0 accessions)

Synonyms:

• Basionym: Toluifera balsamum L.

Common names:

• balsam-of-Tolu  (Source: World Econ Pl) - English
• opobalsam  (Source: HerbSpices) - English
• Tolu balsam  (Source: World Econ Pl) - English
• Tolu-balsam-tree  (Source: Herbs Commerce ed2) - English
• baumier de Tolu  (Source: Dict Rehm) - French
• Tolubalsambaum  (Source: Dict Rehm) - German
• árbol de Tolú  (Source: Dict Rehm) - Spanish
• árbol tolú  (Source: Esp Veg Prom) - Spanish
• bálsamo de Tolú  (Source: Dict Rehm) - Spanish
• estoraque  (Source: Esp Veg Prom) - Spanish

Economic Importance:

• Food additives: flavoring (fide Leg WorldEc; Pl Res SEAs 18:130. 2000)
• Environmental: ornamental (fide Leg WorldEc; Pl Res SEAs 18:130. 2000)
• Materials: essential oils (fide Pl Res SEAs 18:130. 2000)
• Materials: gum/resin (fide Pl Res SEAs 18:130. 2000)
• Materials: wood (timber fide Trees Peru)
• Medicines: source of balsam (fide Herbs Commerce ed2; Pl Res SEAs 18:130. 2000)

Distributional Range:

Native

Southern America

• CENTRAL AMERICA: Panama
• NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Venezuela
• WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Colombia, [Antioquia, Magdalena, Meta, Cesar, Amazonas] Ecuador, [Napo, Pastaza, Zamora-Chinchipe] Peru


Cultivated (also cult.)

References:

1. Boer, E. & A. B. Ella, eds. 2000. Plants producing exudates (Pl Res SEAs) 18:130.
2. Correa, J. E. & H. Y. Bernal Especies vegetales promisorias de los paises del Convenio Andres Bello. 1989-1998 (Esp Veg Prom)
3. Craker, L. E. & J. E. Simon, eds. Herbs, spices, and medicinal plants, 2 vols. 1986-1987 (HerbSpices)
4. Encarnación, F. Nomenclatura de las especies forestales comunes en el Perú. 1983 (Trees Peru)
5. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker Herbs of commerce, ed. 2. 2000 (Herbs Commerce ed2)
6. Rehm, S. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants. 1994 (Dict Rehm)

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN-Taxonomy).
National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: http://germoplasma.iniaf.gob.bo/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=313335. Accessed 7 junio 2026.