What Is Palo Santo?
Palo Santo — Bursera graveolens, "holy wood" in Spanish — is a fragrant tree native to the dry forests of South America, in the same botanical family as frankincense and myrrh. For centuries, Indigenous communities have burned the aromatic wood in ritual purification and ceremony, and today it's also valued as an essential oil for aromatherapy. The bright, sweet, citrus-and-pine scent is its signature.
History & Cultural Significance of Palo Santo
Palo Santo carries a rich cultural significance in South America, where Indigenous communities have used the sacred wood for generations in spiritual rituals and ceremonies. The tree is regarded as sacred and, in tradition, is used to clear a space and invite good fortune. In Ecuador it features in traditional practices of energetic cleansing and spiritual purification, and the wood has also been carved into musical instruments — flutes and drums — played during ceremony. That heritage has been passed down through generations and remains living culture today.
Traditional Uses of Palo Santo
The uses below reflect long-standing cultural and aromatic tradition — not medical claims:
How to Use Palo Santo
Burning the wood (smudging)
Light one end of a Palo Santo stick, let it burn for a few seconds, then blow out the flame — the wood will smoulder and release its fragrant smoke. Move the stick gently around your space, letting the smoke drift where you'd like to freshen the air. Many people take slow breaths and settle into the aroma as part of meditation or a grounding pause.
Aromatic oil & diffuser
Add a few drops of Palo Santo essential oil to a diffuser for a calming, uplifting scent, or dilute it well in a carrier oil such as coconut or jojoba for its fragrance on the skin. It blends beautifully with lavender, bergamot or frankincense. Always patch-test a diluted oil on the skin first.
Freshening a space
Wood-chip incense or a few drops of the oil can help freshen a room, car or hotel and carry the scent with you when you travel.
Palo Santo Wood vs Essential Oil
Two forms, two moods — many people keep both:
What Does the Science Say About Palo Santo?
Honestly, not much has been studied directly. Palo Santo's reputation rests on generations of cultural and aromatic tradition rather than clinical evidence, and it should be understood that way. There are no clinical trials of burning the wood or diffusing the oil for any purpose.
What is well established is chemical. When the essential oil is analysed by gas chromatography, its composition is complex and dominated by limonene — 26.5% of the oil in one published analysis1 — the same aromatic compound that gives citrus peel its bright scent, which is why the wood and oil smell fresh and uplifting. The same study tested the oil against tumour cells and parasites in the laboratory; that is early, in-vitro work on an extract, not evidence about burning a stick, and it is not a basis for any health claim. Nothing here should be read as a statement that Palo Santo treats or prevents any condition.
Sustainability & Ethical Sourcing
As Palo Santo's popularity has grown, sustainability matters more than ever. The picture is more nuanced than "endangered" or "fine": globally, the IUCN Red List assesses Bursera graveolens as Least Concern,2 yet in Peru the species is classed as critically endangered at national level under Supreme Decree 043-2006-AG, and the forestry authority SERFOR continues to seize illegally cut wood by the tonne.3 Illegal logging and overharvesting are a real, local threat even where the species as a whole is secure. Ethically, Palo Santo should come from naturally fallen wood, gathered after the tree has completed its life cycle, never from felled living trees. Look for suppliers who prioritise responsible sourcing and community benefit.
Our Palo Santo is verified as sustainably and ethically harvested — sourced to support both the survival of the trees and the well-being of the communities who gather it.
Safety
Palo Santo is generally well tolerated, but use common sense. Burn it in a well-ventilated area and keep an eye on the smouldering stick to prevent accidents. If you have respiratory conditions or sensitivities, avoid inhaling the smoke directly — enjoy the scent from a heated dish or a diffuser instead. Always patch-test a diluted essential oil on the skin before wider use, and never apply undiluted oil. Keep burning wood and oils away from children and pets.
Palo Santo FAQ
What is Palo Santo used for?+
Traditionally, Palo Santo is burned as a fragrant cleansing smoke for energetic purification and ceremony, used to create a calm atmosphere for meditation, and valued as an aromatic oil. These are cultural and aromatic traditions, not medical uses.
Is burning Palo Santo sustainable?+
It can be, when the wood comes from naturally fallen trees gathered after their life cycle — never from felled living trees. The species is protected in several countries, so buy from suppliers who verify responsible, ethical sourcing.
What's the difference between the wood and the oil?+
The wood sticks are burned for the traditional cleansing smoke and the sweet, lingering scent it leaves behind; the essential oil is diffused or diluted in a carrier oil for aromatherapy and skin — smoke-free and easy to travel with.
How do I burn a Palo Santo stick?+
Light one end, let it burn a few seconds, then blow out the flame and let the wood smoulder. Move it gently through your space to spread the smoke, and rest it in a heatproof dish when you're done.
Is Palo Santo endangered?+
Globally, no — the IUCN Red List assesses Bursera graveolens as Least Concern. Locally, it can be: Peru classes it as critically endangered at national level and permits only fallen or dead wood, and illegally cut wood is still seized there. That is why the source of your Palo Santo matters more than the species' global status.
What does Palo Santo smell like?+
Bright, sweet and resinous — citrus and pine with a soft, lingering warmth. The citrus note comes from limonene, the dominant aromatic compound in the oil; the wood is in the same botanical family as frankincense and myrrh.
Quick Definitions
"Holy wood" (Bursera graveolens), a fragrant South American tree burned or distilled for its aroma.
The practice of burning aromatic plant material to cleanse and freshen a space.
The citrus-scented aromatic compound abundant in Palo Santo, responsible for its bright fragrance.
The botanical name for Palo Santo, in the same family as frankincense and myrrh.
Sources & References
The cultural material in this guide comes from traditional practice in Ecuador and Peru and from the communities who gather the wood. The references below support the chemistry and conservation statements; they describe the plant and its status — not Palo Santo as a treatment for anything.
- 1Monzote, L., Hill, G.M., Cuellar, A., Scull, R., Setzer, W.N. "Chemical composition and anti-proliferative properties of Bursera graveolens essential oil." Natural Product Communications. 2012;7(11). doi:10.1177/1934578X1200701130
- 2Samain, M.-S., Fuentes, A.C.D., Martínez Salas, E. "Bursera graveolens." The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019. iucnredlist.org
- 3Actualidad Ambiental (SPDA). "Arequipa: decomisan 12 toneladas de palo santo, una especie en peligro crítico de extinción." 15 June 2022 — reporting the SERFOR/SUNAT seizure and the species' national category under D.S. 043-2006-AG. actualidadambiental.pe
Palo Santo is a gift of the forest — best met with gratitude, and sourced with care so the trees endure for generations to come.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product and information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Content is provided for educational and cultural purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.