A tree nicknamed “Sheba,” grown from a 1,000-year-old seed found in a remote Israeli cave, may be the key to unlocking an ancient mystery. Revitalized by a team of scientists in Israel, Sheba represents a rare glimpse into the past and could potentially be linked to a healing balm mentioned in the Bible.
Discovered during an excavation in the mid-1980s in the Northern Judean desert near the Dead Sea, the seed lay dormant at Hebrew University in Jerusalem until 2009. Dr. Sarah Sallon of the Hadassah Medical Organization’s Natural Medicine Research Center initiated its germination, leading to the growth of a ten-foot-tall tree that resides in a greenhouse on a kibbutz.
Dr. Andrea Weeks of George Mason University and Dr. Morgan Gostel, her former Ph.D. student and current research botanist at the Botanical Research institute of Texas (BRIT), the research division of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden (FWBG), used genetic sequencing and comparative analyses to determine that Sheba belongs to the myrrh genus, Commiphora, historically significant for the aromatic and medicinal properties of oleoresins produced by these plants.
While Sheba’s leaves, bark, and resin lack the expected aroma of the renowned “Balm of Gilead,” chemical analysis reveals compounds with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-tumoral properties. These findings suggest Sheba could be the elusive “tsori,” a non-fragrant balm noted in ancient texts for its healing properties.
“Most of the comparative genetic data work was funded by grants from the US National Science Foundation for other projects. The applied use of these data for identifying Sheba is an excellent example of the long-term benefits of basic research,” stated Dr. Andrea Weeks.
FWBG and BRIT Research Botanist Morgan Gostel, a co-author of the study, explained.
“While we can’t confirm Sheba as the source of tsori, its medicinal profile means it is possible.”
Although botanists now know more about this mystery, it remains far from solved. Sheba has not yet flowered, which has prevented scientists from officially classifying it. Without flowers, Sheba cannot reproduce, making its survival as a species uncertain. However, Gostel noted that other Commiphora species exist in the Arabian Peninsula and Eastern Africa, raising hopes that Sheba may have living relatives and could be discovered growing in the wild. Fully understanding the biodiversity of the remarkable genus has long been the focus of both Dr. Weeks and Dr. Gostel’s research programs; much remains to be discovered.
The mystery of Sheba’s true identity is just one of many grand challenges that continue to elude biodiversity scientists. This story provides an example of how we can use modern technology to solve ancient mysteries as part of larger efforts to document, discover, and describe the nearly half a million species of plants on Earth. This remarkable journey of a seed from ancient times highlights the intersection of archaeology, botany, and chemistry and offers a unique opportunity to explore the lost wonders of the natural world, a time traveler, bridging the past and present.
