What is Palo Santo and How to Use It

What is Palo Santo?

Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens) translates from Spanish as 'holy wood'. For centuries, indigenous communities across Peru, Ecuador, and the wider Andean region have burned it in ceremony, ritual, and everyday life — to cleanse spaces, invite positive energy, and deepen meditation.

Unlike many incense materials, authentic Palo Santo is harvested only from naturally fallen trees and branches. The wood must rest on the forest floor for several years before its aromatic resins fully develop — which is why ethically sourced Palo Santo is worth seeking out.

What Does Palo Santo Smell Like?

The scent is warm, woody, and subtly sweet — with hints of citrus, pine, and a light mintiness. It's grounding without being heavy, making it ideal for morning rituals, meditation, or simply clearing the air in your home.

How to Burn Palo Santo Wood

Burning Palo Santo is a simple, intentional practice. Here's how to do it safely:

1. Hold the stick at a 45° angle and light the tip with a match or lighter.
2. Let it burn for 30–60 seconds, then gently blow out the flame. The wood should glow and smoulder, releasing a thin stream of fragrant smoke.
3. Move through your space with intention — around doorways, corners, and areas you'd like to cleanse or refresh.
4. Rest it in a fireproof dish or incense holder and allow it to extinguish naturally. Palo Santo self-extinguishes; it won't burn all the way down like a candle.
5. Ventilate the space by opening a window — this allows the smoke (and whatever you're clearing) to move out.

Tip: Palo Santo can be relit many times. A single stick can last weeks or even months with mindful use.

Palo Santo in Incense Form

If you love the ritual of incense sticks or planks, Palo Santo blends beautifully with other botanicals. Our Ceremony Palo Santo Plant Based Handmade Incense captures the sacred warmth of Palo Santo in a slow-burning, handcrafted incense plank — no synthetic binders, just pure plant materials.

For those who prefer the raw wood experience, our Golden Heart Palo Santo 50g Bundle is ethically sourced and ready to burn.

Palo Santo vs. Sage: What's the Difference?

Both are used for space clearing, but they have distinct characters. White sage is sharper and more herbaceous — often used for deep energetic cleansing. Palo Santo is warmer and sweeter, more commonly used to invite positive energy after a cleanse, or simply to create a calm, sacred atmosphere. Many people use both in sequence.

A Note on Sustainability

As Palo Santo has grown in global popularity, so has the risk of unsustainable harvesting. At Tribe Earth, we source only from suppliers who harvest fallen wood — never living trees — and who support reforestation efforts in the regions where Palo Santo grows. When you buy with us, you're supporting a supply chain that honours the plant and the communities who have tended it for generations.

Ready to explore? Browse our full range of raw incenses and find the ritual that's right for you.