BT-037 · Burseraceae

Palo santo

Bursera graveolens

Evidence: TraditionalGenerally safeOverharvested

Palo santo belongs to the same family as frankincense (Boswellia) and myrrh (Commiphora); all three are sacred incense trees.

Other names: Holy wood
Part used: Wood, essential oil
Region: Andes
Use: Incense and protection, Ritual and shamanic, Healing

Photo: Haplochromis · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

In short

What is Palo santo?

Palo santo (Bursera graveolens) is a plant of the Burseraceae family. Traditions that use it: Andes. Part used: wood, essential oil.

What is Palo santo used for?

Traditional use: Grows in the dry coastal forests of Ecuador and Peru. Scientific evidence: traditional. Rich in limonene and α-terpineol.

Is Palo santo safe?

Safety label: generally safe. Heavy smoke in a closed room irritates the airways; people with asthma should be careful.

Traditional use

Andes

Grows in the dry coastal forests of Ecuador and Peru. Pieces of wood are burned to cleanse the home and keep mosquitoes away, in healing ceremonies and in church services. The oil is rubbed on sore muscles.

In nature

Where it grows: Dry coastal forests of Ecuador and Peru and the Galápagos Islands.
Harvest season: Fallen dead branches are collected all year.
Local names: palo santo, kutsal odun

Mix-up risk

Some “palo santo” on sale is made from other Bursera species or scented ordinary wood.

Preparation

Traditionally only branches that died naturally and lay on the ground for some years are gathered; the scent is believed to mature in dead wood.

What science says

Rich in limonene and α-terpineol. Small studies have shown an insect-repellent effect.

Safety

Generally safe

Heavy smoke in a closed room irritates the airways; people with asthma should be careful.

Conservation

IUCN: Not globally threatened
Note: Rising demand leads to cutting live trees in some areas.
Alternative: Sources that document collection from dead wood; or local incense such as juniper, bay and rosemary.