✦ Palo Santo · in one breath ✦
The gentle smoke that warms and sanctifies the space, in an instant.
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What is Palo Santo?
Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens), literally 'holy wood', is a South American tree of the Burseraceae family — the same as frankincense and myrrh. Its aromatic, resin-rich wood gives off, when burned, a soft, woody and slightly citrus smoke. It is traditionally burned in sticks to perfume and open a space, and has long served to keep mosquitoes away.
Where does INFUSE's Palo Santo come from and how is it harvested?
Our Palo Santo comes from Ecuador, under certified harvest. These are large sticks hand-cut rather than machine-sawn: sawing produces a dust that loses material, whereas cutting preserves the wood and its resin. The precise details of the certification and the batch are documented by our supplier.
Why cut sticks and not sawn ones?
Because sawing the wood creates sawdust — a dust that represents lost material, and therefore wood sacrificed for nothing. Our large sticks are hand-cut (chopped), which keeps the wood's integrity and its resinous charge. It is a harvesting detail that says a lot about the care given to the resource.
How do I use a Palo Santo stick?
Light one end of the stick in the flame for 20 to 30 seconds, then blow: the wood glows and smokes slowly. Move the smoke around the room or around yourself with intention, a dish underneath. The stick goes out by itself within seconds once set down — just leave it on a non-flammable support. A single stick relights many times before being used up.
What is the difference between Palo Santo and white sage?
Two smoke plants, two registers. Palo Santo is a resinous wood with a soft, sweet and citrusy smoke, associated with opening and warming a space. Sage has a more herbaceous, resinous smoke, often linked to clearing. Many use them as complements. In both cases, the essential is the act and respect for the plant and its tradition.
Is Palo Santo endangered? Is it sustainably harvested?
Bursera graveolens is not an endangered species, but the ethical standard of palo santo rests on harvesting naturally dead wood (fallen branches, trees dead for several years, whose resin has concentrated) rather than felling living trees. Our wood is under certified harvest in Ecuador; for the detail of harvesting practices, we refer to our supplier's documentation.
What precautions apply to Palo Santo smoke?
Any smoke remains smoke: ventilate, limit prolonged inhalation, caution in case of asthma or respiratory fragility. Keep infants, very sensitive people and animals away during the fumigation. Never leave a glowing stick unattended and set it on a non-flammable support. Occasional ritual use, not daily. Do your own research (DYOR).
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In depthbotany · phytochemistry · history
### Botany
Bursera graveolens is a tree of the dry tropical forests of the Pacific coast of South America (Ecuador, Peru) and Central America, belonging to the Burseraceae family. It is the same family as the frankincense (Boswellia) and myrrh (Commiphora) trees: woods and resins renowned worldwide for their scent on combustion. The epithet graveolens means "strong-smelling". The tree loses its leaves in the dry season and concentrates, in its heartwood, essential oils rich in limonene and α-terpineol — hence the characteristic citrus note of its smoke. These compounds form and concentrate slowly, which explains why wood dead for several years is the most aromatic.
### Harvesting practice and sustainability
Contrary to a widespread idea, Bursera graveolens is not classed as an endangered species. The sustainability question bears on the way of harvesting. The sector's ethical standard consists of taking only naturally dead wood — fallen branches and trunks of trees dead for several years — and not felling living trees: not only is this more respectful of the dry forest, but it is also this matured wood that has developed the most resin and therefore the best scent. Programmes of regulated harvest and reforestation exist in Ecuador and Peru. Our wood is announced as certified harvest from Ecuador by our supplier; we report this information without over-interpreting it. The detail of the sticks — hand-cut rather than sawn — comes from the same concern: avoiding the loss of material as sawdust.
### Fumigation across cultures
Burning a wood or a resin to perfume, mark a passage or accompany a moment of attention is one of the most universal human rites: temple incense, Central American copal, sandalwood and agarwood in Asia, mountain juniper in Europe, imphepho in southern Africa. Palo santo takes its place in this great conversation of smoke — each one with its tree, its smell and its meaning. Its resinous, citrusy softness has made it, beyond its area of origin, one of the most appreciated smoke woods; all the more reason to use it with measure and respect for the resource.
« Every plant is a door. Palo Santo opens onto a long companionship — listen to it more than you measure it. »