A beautiful, small, dry deciduous tree to about 8 m tall with golden to reddish brown or coppery colored, smooth, peeling bark and simple, elliptic, bluish gray green leaves with undulate margins. The small, creamy white flowers are followed by reddish fruits. Extremely fragrant, the resin, leaves and fruits smell like sweet frankincense. Commiphora glaucescens is fairly widespread and common in northern Namibia, where it inhabits rocky slopes and outcrops and grows along seasonal streams. Even though it will make an exeptional ornamental and a great bonsai subject, it is largely unknown in cultivation.