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Burserea graveolens (Palo Santo)
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 Palo Santo, or 'Holy Wood' or 'Sacred tree' is a natural aromatic incense used for centuries by the Incas as a spiritual remedy for purifying and cleansing and to get rid of evil spirits, misfortune and calamity. Burning Palo Santo helps to create an overall peaceful and purifying effect. It has a wonderfully calming, soothing scent, with a powerful energy. Palo Santo is harvested under government supervision by the native peoples of the Amazonian region of South America. These are protected, one thousand year old trees from which the windfall is collected from the ground and considered sacred by the indigenous peoples for many generations. |
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| Product Disclaimer |
This product is not sold for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, is purely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and should never be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is at the customer's own risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value. No implied fitness for any purpose.
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| Family |
| Burseraceae (Copal Family) |
| Other Names |
| Palo de la vida o Santo, Sacred Wood, Holy wood, St. Anthony`s wood, Palosanto, Mallka Waki |
| Historical |
| Palo Santo has been used by the Incas for generations. Shamans in the Andean mountains still use Palo Santo as part of their curing rituals. It is often used in Ayahuasca ceremonies. Its sacred properties and distinctly enjoyable aroma have only very recently been rediscovered by modern man. Nowadays Palo Santo can be found in the streets of Quito at Christmas, where the salesmen shout "Palo Santo, to clean your house of bad energy", "Palo Santo for good luck". The essential oil of the Palo Santo tree has many applications in aromatherapy. |
| Plant Description |
| Bursera graveolens inhabits the South American Gran Chaco region (northern Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and the Brazilian Mato Grosso). It is also common on the coast of Ecuador. It is related to the **frankincense** tree (genus Boswellia). The Palo Santo tree has no branches on the lower part of the trunk, and within a radius of several yards not a leaf or a blade of grass will grow. It is a soft, light wood, usually found near the river banks, and is the favorite haunt of colonies of the Brazilian fire ant, a vicious insect with an extremely painful bite. Touch the tree, and armies of these ants rush out from holes in the trunk eager to attack, even dropping from branches above on to the trespasser. |
| Contents |
| Aged heartwood is rich in essential oils such as limonene and alpha-pinene. |
| Scent |
Palo Santo has both a deep enjoyable wooden aroma as well as a nice warming middle range and a wonderful sweet top range to it. Palo Santos wide range of enjoyable aromatic 'notes' seems to be uniquely uncharacteristic to any single aromatic component. Burning a small piece of wood gives a peaceful warm atmosphere and leads you into a pleasant relaxed state of mind.
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