Palo Santo Plant Care

Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens) belongs to the Burseraceae family within the Bursera genus. Palo Santo is native to Mexico, Central America, northwestern South America from Venezuela to Peru, and the Galápagos Islands. Palo Santo is also known as Holy Wood, Bursera graveolens.

Palo Santo displays a tall, branching tree growth habit, reaching up to 30 ft tall with a spread of approximately 15 ft. Palo Santo produces small, inconspicuous flowers in clusters.

Leaf size: approximately 6 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Palo Santo every 14–21 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Palo Santo thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Bursera graveolens tolerates temperatures of 60–85°F. Palo Santo prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining sandy soil mix with added perlite and gravel for good drainage. Good drainage is essential for Palo Santo to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Palo Santo every 8 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining sandy soil mix with added perlite and gravel for good drainage. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Palo Santo is suited to USDA Zone 13a.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Palo Santo can spread to about 15 ft (4.6 m) and reach about 30 ft (9 m) tall. Space plants about 15 ft (4.6 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune Palo Santo while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

Palo Santo is frost-tender (hardy to USDA zone 13). In colder areas grow it in a container and move it to a bright, frost-free place before the first frost.

Palo Santo can be propagated through seeds, stem cuttings. Similar propagation techniques also apply to gumbo-limbo plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Palo Santo is susceptible to spider mites, scale insects. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Palo Santo grows outdoors in USDA Zone 13a. It survives winters down to planting zone 13a. Palo Santo is native to Mexico, Central America, northwestern South America from Venezuela to Peru, and the Galápagos Islands. In cooler regions, grow Palo Santo as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.