Eastern Red Cedar smudge stick - Rhode Island woodlands

Juniperus Virginiana  //  Eastern Red-Cedar
A sustainable alternative to Palo Santo.

The Eastern Red Cedar tree is abundant in our land. We love it for its gorgeous purple hue and woodsy fragrant smell. 

Fallen branches are wildcrafted in small amounts from the woodlands of RI. It is then processed by hand into stick form and laser engraved.

Light with fire and use as smoke medicine for a smudging / space cleansing incense.
Or make it an addition to your altar, it loves to hang out with crystals ;) 

>> Why shift away from using Palo Santo?

Making Palo Santo a "hot commodity" detracts from the sacredness of this tree to the people who have been using it for hundreds of years. How long can the supply keep up with the booming demand that doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon? Everyone says "Palo Santo comes from fallen branches" but actually has no way to know if their Palo Santo was truly only harvested from only dead fallen branches. People will ultimately harvest the tree however they need to in order to make some money. Let's pause on the Palo Santo consumption and make sure there is enough for the cultures who have deeply entwined this tree into their heritage and rituals. 

We have so many options in our own regions to use as sustainable substitutes, and that's why we have shifted our focus onto these other trees and plants. Currently we stock Juniper from the Arizona Desert and Eastern Red Cedar from woodlands in RI. Both types of trees are plentiful. Both have fragrant resins that are a delight to burn and cleanse with.

Working with plants and trees in your area adds a special connection and peace while smudging or lighting incense. Besides the engraved sticks that we offer, here is a list of plants that may grow abundantly near you and make great smoke wands if you wrap them up and let them dry:

• garden sage
• mugwort
• lavender
• rosemary
• juniper greens

Click here to view our Palo Santo alternatives and other incense.