If you've ever bought incense, crystals or anything for a yoga or meditation space, you've probably come across the warning: palo santo is endangered, so don't buy it.
It sounds like a straightforward bit of ethical shopping advice. There's just one problem.
The palo santo most people mean when they talk about burning a palo santo stick is Bursera graveolens. The endangered species that causes much of the confusion is Bulnesia sarmientoi. They're different trees, from different plant families, growing in different parts of South America.
Same common name. Very different story.
So let's clear it up properly: which palo santo is endangered, where the wood you burn actually comes from, what to look for when you're buying it, and how to get the most out of those little sticks once you have them.
The short answer
The palo santo commonly sold for burning is Bursera graveolens. The IUCN assesses it as Least Concern, and it isn't listed under CITES.
The endangered tree is Bulnesia sarmientoi. It grows in the Gran Chaco of Paraguay, Argentina and Bolivia, and the IUCN lists it as Endangered. It is also included in CITES Appendix II, which means international trade is regulated.
They're not the same species.
Bursera graveolens is the palo santo you'll usually find as incense wood, essential oil and in many palo santo incense products. Bulnesia sarmientoi is sometimes known by the same common name, but it's a different tree altogether.
That's the source of most of the confusion.
Two trees, one name
Bursera graveolens: the palo santo you burn
Bursera graveolens grows in dry tropical forests across parts of Mexico, Central and South America, as well as the Galápagos Islands.
It's part of the Burseraceae family, which also includes frankincense and myrrh. That family connection makes sense when you smell it: palo santo has that same warm, resinous quality, but with its own sweeter, woody and slightly citrusy character.
This is the species behind the palo santo sticks most people know.
You'll find it as raw wood, incense and essential oil. Some incense makers give the botanical name, which is always useful when you're trying to work out exactly what you're buying. Our Palo Santo Classic Incense Sticks (£12), for example, name the tree as Bursera graveolens.
Bulnesia sarmientoi: the endangered tree
Bulnesia sarmientoi is a completely different plant.
It grows in the Gran Chaco, a vast dry forest region covering parts of Paraguay, Argentina and Bolivia. It belongs to the Zygophyllaceae family rather than the Burseraceae family and is valued for its exceptionally dense timber as well as guaiac wood oil.
The Chaco has experienced extensive deforestation, putting pressure on native species including Bulnesia sarmientoi. That's why this tree has a much more serious conservation status and why its international trade is regulated.
So if you've read that "palo santo is endangered", there's a good chance the article has mixed these two species together.
Where did the endangered-palo-santo story come from?
The shared name explains part of it. There's another piece of the puzzle in Peru.
In 2006, Peru included Bursera graveolens on its national list of threatened plant species. That sounds alarming if you see the statement without the surrounding context, but a national protection measure isn't the same thing as saying the species is endangered worldwide.
The Peruvian rules were also important because they restricted the cutting of living trees. Collection focused on wood from trees and branches that had died naturally.
Peru later removed Bursera graveolens from that particular protected list in 2014. Responsible sourcing remains important, though, and naturally fallen wood is still the standard you want to see from a reputable supplier.
This is one of those cases where the detail matters more than the headline.
Why fallen wood matters
There's a nice bit of sense to the traditional way good palo santo is sourced.
Palo santo wood is generally collected after the tree has died naturally and the wood has been left to mature. As it ages, the aromatic compounds in the wood develop, giving it the rich scent that palo santo is known for.
Freshly cut wood doesn't have the same character.
That's why, when you're buying palo santo, we'd look for a supplier who can answer three simple questions:
- Where did the wood come from? Peru and Ecuador are common sources of Bursera graveolens.
- Was it naturally fallen? A responsible supplier should be able to explain how the wood was collected.
- Does it smell good before you burn it? It should. Good palo santo has a noticeable sweet, resinous aroma even when it's sitting in the packet.
You don't need to make buying palo santo complicated. A little transparency about where it came from goes a long way.
Palo santo wood, incense and oil aren't all the same thing
Another source of confusion is the label itself.
"Palo santo" can mean the actual aromatic wood, an incense product scented with palo santo, or an oil extracted from the wood. They're related, but they're not interchangeable.
Palo santo from Peru
Our Palo Santo Large Incense Sticks are made in Peru. The Classic version (£12) contains the palo santo wood on its own, with nothing added, so this is the one we'd choose if you want that straightforward, unmistakable palo santo scent.
There are also blended versions at £12 each.
Cinnamon adds warmth, particularly nice through autumn and winter. Bergamot gives it a brighter, citrus edge, while Chipre is the mossier, more perfumed one.
For raw wood, our 1kg bag of 1st grade Peruvian palo santo (£110.99) is the sustainably harvested wood itself, in enough quantity to last years. The rest of the wood range is in palo santo & sacred wood.
And if you love the scent but don't want smoke, Palo Santo Essential Oil (£153.99 for 50ml) is Bursera graveolens wood oil from Peru. A few drops in an aroma diffuser is enough to give a room that characteristic sweet, woody smell.
Palo santo incense
Palo santo incense is a slightly different proposition.
Many palo santo incense sticks are made in India, using palo santo as part of the fragrance blend rather than simply burning a piece of the raw wood. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, incense sticks are often much more practical when you want the scent to last for half an hour rather than a couple of minutes.
We no longer stock the Indian-made palo santo blends, so the palo santo incense we sell is our own Peruvian range: Classic, Cinnamon, Bergamot and Chipre, all £12 a box.
If you're not sure whether you'd prefer sticks or cones, our guide to incense sticks versus cones explains the differences.
If you prefer cones or resin
Cones are useful when you want a more concentrated burst of fragrance without keeping a stick of wood smouldering. We don’t currently have a palo santo cone, but the same idea applies to the rest of the range.
Ritual Resin on a Stick (£3) is resin pressed onto a stick, so it burns without a charcoal disc — copal is the closest in character to palo santo.
For a backflow burner, Plant-Based Backflow Cones (£1.99) send the smoke down through the burner rather than upwards.
How to burn palo santo
If you're used to incense sticks, the first thing to know about palo santo wood is that you aren't trying to keep it burning.
You're lighting it, letting it catch, then allowing it to smoulder.
- Hold one end over a flame for around 30 seconds to a minute.
- Let the end catch properly.
- Blow out the flame and let the glowing tip smoulder.
- Place it somewhere heatproof while the smoke rises.
- Once it goes out, save the stick and use it again another time.
That's one of the nice things about palo santo wood. A single stick can be lit many times, so a small bundle lasts much longer than you might expect.
Palo santo heaters and holders
A dedicated holder makes the whole process easier, and any incense holder with a dish deep enough to catch ash will do the job. Our incense holders and burners has the current range; look for a flat tray or a bowl rather than a single upright stick hole, because palo santo is burned lying down while it smoulders.
How long does palo santo burn?
It depends on what you're burning.
A raw palo santo stick usually smoulders for a minute or two before going out. That's not a sign that you've done anything wrong. In fact, that's exactly how it's meant to work. Let it cool completely and you can light the same stick again later.
Palo santo incense sticks burn for considerably longer. The Aromatika sticks, for example, burn for around 30 minutes.
Palo santo cones tend to give you a shorter but more concentrated burst of fragrance.
So the choice really comes down to how you want to use it. For a quick start to meditation, yoga or a ritual, raw wood is lovely. If you want palo santo fragrance filling the room while you read or relax in the evening, an incense stick is much more convenient.
And if you want the scent without smoke, use the essential oil in a diffuser.
What do people use palo santo for?
Palo santo means "holy wood" in Spanish and has a long history of ceremonial and traditional use in parts of South America.
Modern users often burn it as part of a personal ritual or simply because they enjoy the scent. You might light it before meditation, during yoga, while preparing for a tarot reading, or when you want to mark the end of a busy day.
Some people also use it when moving into a new home or beginning a new chapter, treating the smoke as a symbolic way of refreshing a space.
There's no complicated rulebook here. For many people, the ritual is simply about slowing down for a few minutes and changing the atmosphere of a room.
If you enjoy experimenting with different fragrances, the four Peruvian blends (£12 each) are the easiest way to do it — Palo Santo Classic, Palo Santo Cinnamon, Palo Santo Bergamot and Palo Santo Chipre.
How to tell good palo santo from poor-quality wood
Once you've smelled good palo santo, it's fairly easy to recognise.
Start with the scent. The wood should have a sweet, resinous aroma before you burn it. You shouldn't need to practically bury your nose in the packet to detect anything.
Pay attention to the smoke. Good palo santo should smell warm, woody and resinous, often with citrusy or pine-like notes. If the smoke is unpleasantly sharp or acrid, something isn't right.
Look for a clear origin. A reputable supplier should be able to tell you where the wood came from and, ideally, how it was collected.
Know whether you're buying wood or incense. Both can be excellent, but they aren't the same thing. If you specifically want Peruvian palo santo wood, look for our 1kg bag of Peruvian palo santo wood or Palo Santo Classic sticks, rather than assuming every product with "palo santo" on the label contains raw wood.
How to store palo santo
Palo santo is surprisingly easy to keep.
Store the sticks somewhere cool and dry, preferably in a closed bag, box or jar. This helps preserve the aromatic oils rather than letting the scent slowly disappear into the room.
Keep the wood away from strong-smelling herbs, incense and essential oils too. Palo santo can absorb surrounding aromas, and you don't really want yesterday's patchouli incense becoming part of your palo santo.
If an older stick seems quieter than it used to, try gently scraping the outside or snapping off a little from the end. Fresh wood underneath can still have plenty of fragrance.
A simple palo santo ritual for beginners
You don't need a complicated ritual.
If you want to try palo santo for the first time, keep it simple.
Open a window slightly. Light the end of the stick and let it catch, then blow out the flame. Walk slowly around the room and allow the smoke to drift naturally through the space, particularly around doorways and corners.
While you do it, think about what you want the room to feel like afterwards. Calm. Clear. Fresh. Whatever makes sense to you.
Then put the stick into a heatproof holder and let it go out.
The whole thing can take five minutes.
Some people make it part of their morning routine. Others save it for moving house, starting something new, changing seasons or simply those evenings when the house feels like it needs a reset.
Palo santo gift ideas
Palo santo works particularly well as a gift because you can make the bundle as simple or generous as you like.
The Palo Santo Starter (£24)
Palo Santo Classic Incense Sticks (£12) and Palo Santo Cinnamon (£12).
The unblended wood scent alongside the warmer one, which is the easiest way to work out which you prefer.
The Palo Santo Gift Box (£48)
For something more substantial, combine all four Peruvian blends: Palo Santo Classic, Palo Santo Cinnamon, Palo Santo Bergamot and Palo Santo Chipre, at £12 each.
That gives four palo santo fragrances to burn through the year, and it takes your basket past £40, so delivery is free.
Palo santo or white sage?
They're often lumped together, but they smell and behave quite differently.
Palo santo is sweet, warm and woody. It's relatively gentle and works well when you want a softer fragrance for meditation, relaxation or everyday use.
White sage is much more herbal and pungent, particularly when you're burning a whole bundle. It has a more immediately powerful, smoky character.
You don't necessarily need to pick one. Some people prefer sage when they want a more thorough room-clearing ritual and palo santo for quieter, everyday use.
We don’t currently stock a combined palo santo and white sage stick, so the simplest way to have both is Palo Santo Classic (£12) alongside a White Sage & Cedar Smudge Stick (£21.49).
For bundles and other cleansing herbs, browse our smudge sticks. And if you're interested in what actually goes into different types of incense, our guide to masala, dipped and resin incense is worth a read.
Palo santo FAQs
Is palo santo endangered?
The answer depends on which tree you're talking about. The palo santo commonly burned as incense is Bursera graveolens, which the IUCN assesses as Least Concern. The endangered species is Bulnesia sarmientoi, a different tree from the Gran Chaco.
Is it ethical to buy palo santo?
Look for palo santo that has been responsibly and legally sourced, particularly wood collected from naturally fallen trees. A reputable supplier should be able to tell you where the wood came from and how it was collected.
How long does palo santo burn?
A raw palo santo stick usually smoulders for around a minute or two each time it is lit. It can then be allowed to cool and used again. Incense sticks burn for much longer; Aromatika's palo santo sticks, for example, burn for roughly 30 minutes.
How do you put out palo santo?
Usually, you can simply let the stick go out naturally. If you want to extinguish it sooner, press the glowing end gently into a heatproof dish or suitable extinguishing material until the ember is completely out. Never leave it smouldering unattended.
What does palo santo smell like?
It's sweet, woody and resinous, with hints that can remind you of citrus or pine. Its relationship to frankincense and myrrh through the Burseraceae family is noticeable in the overall resinous character.
Where does palo santo come from?
Bursera graveolens grows across parts of Mexico, Central and South America and on the Galápagos Islands. Peru and Ecuador are important sources of palo santo wood and oil sold internationally.
