Dragons Blood

Sangre de grado is a medium-sized to large tree that grows from 10-20 m high in the upper Amazon region of Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.

Although tall, the trunk is usually less than 30 cm in diameter and is covered by smooth, mottled bark. It has large, heart-shaped, bright-green leaves and unique, greenish-white flowers on long stalks.

Its Peruvian name, sangre de grado, means "blood of the dragon" (in Spanish). In Ecuador, it’s named sangre de drago (which means "dragon’s blood" as well). When the trunk of the tree is cut or wounded, a dark red, sappy resin oozes out as if the tree is bleeding—earning this local name.