Wild Harvested
Additive & Filler Free
Palo Santo (Sacred Wood) Natural Incense
✧ What is Palo Santo?
Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens), whose name means "Holy Wood", is one of the most aromatic woods in the world, from the same fragrant tree family as frankincense and myrrh. It grows in the tropical dry forests of South America, and has been used as a natural incense and smudge stick by the indigenous peoples of Peru and Ecuador, and by Andean shamans, since the time of the Inca.
Ours is hand-graded for a high resin content, and offered as pure wood sticks: convenient to carry when travelling, and a gentle alternative to loose white sage bundles.
✧ Why does the aging of Palo Santo matter?
The magic of Palo Santo lies in what happens after a tree dies naturally, or a limb falls. It is a very hard, dense wood, and it must be left undisturbed on the forest floor for several years. Slowly the dense matrix begins to soften and release its fragrant oils, and over time those aromatic compounds grow stronger and more refined.
Quite extraordinarily, the wood's aromatic oils will not mature in limbs cut from a living tree, or if the tree is felled. This is the heart of why ethical sourcing matters so much: only naturally fallen, properly aged wood carries the true fragrance, and cutting living trees produces an inferior wood while harming the forest. Ours is gathered only from naturally fallen wood.
✧ What's in our Palo Santo, and how is it sourced?
Ingredients
100% Pure - Palo Santo Wood (Bursera graveolens)
- Traditionally aged Palo Santo wood sticks, hand-graded by us for a high resin content
- Small, thin sticks are left out of our ceremonial packs
- 100% pure and unadulterated, nothing added
- Gathered only from naturally fallen wood, responsibly and respectfully harvested
Each stick may smell slightly different, due to the varying concentration of natural oils.
Impeccably sourced: Palo Santo must be collected, split and traded with respect. The organisation we partner with works with local communities who honour the wood's sacredness, as a valued and important part of Andean culture. Imported direct from Peru. Click here for info on our sourcing policy.
✧ How do you burn Palo Santo?
Hold a stick pointing down at a 45 degree angle and light it with a lighter. Let the wood catch so there is a small flame, allow it to burn for 20 to 30 seconds, then let the flame fade or gently blow it out. The wood will then release its aromatic oils as a fragrant smoke, and the sticks can be relit again and again.
To scent a space, lightly blow on the embers to keep them smouldering as you move around the room, holding a fireproof bowl underneath to catch any ash. Or rest the stick in a fireproof dish and let it scent the air while you meditate, relax or move through your space. A little sand in the bowl helps: dip the end in to extinguish the embers when you are finished.
Wood vs incense sticks: our Palo Santo is pure aged wood, not a manufactured incense. It will not burn continuously the way commercial joss sticks do, because those are made from powdered ingredients and a binder. Pure wood is relit as needed.
Please take care: never leave a burning item unattended, and check the end is fully extinguished when you have finished. Store in a cool, dry place with the packaging sealed so the wood does not dry out.
✧ How is Palo Santo traditionally used?
Palo Santo is a wood of transformation. In tradition it is about letting go and discovering what lies beyond the seen; it is said to teach respect, patience and surrender. As it burns it releases a citrusy, fresh smoke with a sweet, earthy warmth that many find uplifting.
It is traditionally burned in ceremonial practice for cleansing and grounding: before meditation, to clear the air after conflict or strife, and when creating a sacred space. Many reach for it when the energy of a room or a moment feels stuck and in need of a gentle shift toward clarity, harmony and balance.
You may also enjoy our Palo Santo Essential Oil, and the rest of our Natural Incenses.
New to palo santo? Our guide explains what it is, how to burn it, and how to know it is ethically sourced.
