Sandalwood
Indian sandalwood, is a tropical tree native to southern India and Southeast Asia, valued for its aromatic heartwood and fragrant oil. The oil is prized in perfumery and traditional medicine, though overharvesting has made the species vulnerable, leading to conservation efforts.
Names
Scientific
Santalum album
English
Indian sandalwood
Sandalwood
True sandalwood
White sandalwood
Dutch
Sandelhout
Spanish
Árbol de sándalo
French
Santal
Taxonomy
Genus
Santalum
Family
Santalaceae
Order
Santalales
Basic information and facts
Origin:
Native to southern India and parts of Southeast Asia, particularly the Western Ghats in India.
Distribution:
Found in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and northern Australia, with cultivation in other tropical regions worldwide.
Annual, biennial, or perennial:
Perennial.
Flowers:
Small, inconspicuous, and typically pale green or reddish-brown, blooming seasonally depending on climate.
Leaves:
Oval, smooth, and glossy with a pale green color, arranged opposite on the branches.
Fruits:
Small, spherical, dark purple to black drupe containing a single seed.
Climate and weather:
Thrives in warm, tropical to subtropical climates with moderate rainfall, between 600 and 1600 mm annually, and temperatures between 12°C and 35°C.
Pollination:
Primarily insect-pollinated, attracting bees and other pollinators.
Height:
Typically grows to a height of 4–10 meters (13–33 feet).
Spacing:
Requires spacing of 3–4 meters (10–13 feet) between plants for optimal growth.
Propagation:
Propagation mainly by seeds, though tissue culture methods are also used. Seeds require a host plant due to the tree’s semi-parasitic nature.
Insect pests:
Common pests include leaf miners, scales, and stem borers.
Diseases:
Susceptible to wilt, leaf blight, and root rot, especially under poor drainage conditions.
Harvesting:
Heartwood is harvested from mature trees, typically at 15–20 years of age for optimal oil content and quality.
Uses:
Valued for its fragrant heartwood and essential oil, used in perfumery, traditional medicine, cosmetics, and religious rituals.
Crop categories
Essential oils
Medicinal plants
Ornamental plants
Subtropical crops
Timber
Tropical crops
Pictures
Sandalwood
Indian sandalwood