Palo santo tree (Bursera graveolens) grows in the dry forests of the tropical pacific coast of Central and South America. It has been used for centuries by the ancient cultures of those regions, with many different purposes according to which part of the plant is in use. The dry trunk is prized as an incense, whose strong and pleasant smell is said to clean the energy of spaces and people, getting rid of negativity and bad luck, and bringing relaxation and harmony.

Other use of this plant is as essential oil, which is said to be very helpful for conditions like neuralgia, common cold, skin problems caused by fungus or anxiety. Furthermore, communities living close to these forests also prepare a tea with palo santo leaves as an antispasmodic.

A palo santo tree, which in English translates to “holy stick”, can live up to 100 years, and only those branches or trunks that have fallen naturally are good for extracting its benefits. The adequate harvest process, which is guaranteed in our products, is to take the fallen material that has dried naturally after at least 4 years, but the longer a branch has been lying dead before being harvested, the better the medicine it will provide.

These natural aromatic sticks may be burned similar to incense by lighting shavings of the wood, or the whole stick with fire. Allow it to burn for a moment and then blow, so that the burning ember can smoke and release the scent.

Additionally, some communities burn the palo santo together with dry leaves of ruda (Ruta chalepensis), and blow the smoke into the ears to treat infections like otitis.

Common names: Holy stick, Holy wood, Saint Anthony’s wood, Sacred Wood, Palo de la Vida, Palo santo, Mallka Waki, Malka Waki, Heiliges Holz.