Santalum spp.
sandalwood
Overview
Santalum spp. is a genus of about twenty-five species of evergreen, hemiparasitic shrubs and small trees in the sandalwood family (Santalaceae), ranging from India and Southeast Asia through Australia to the Pacific islands. Plants grow 6-30 ft (1.8-9 m) tall and draw part of their water and nutrients from the roots of host plants through attachments called haustoria, so they cannot grow well in isolation. The leathery leaves are 1-3 in (2.5-8 cm) long, opposite, and dull green, on slender drooping branches. Small four-lobed flowers, dull cream to red-brown, are borne in branched clusters and give way to round drupes 0.3-0.5 in (8-12 mm) wide that ripen dark and are eaten by birds. The fragrant heartwood of several species, including S. album and S. spicatum, holds the aromatic oil long harvested as sandalwood. Species grow on free-draining soils in warm, seasonally dry climates, and growth is slow, with usable heartwood taking many years to form. Overharvesting has made some species rare in the wild.
Native Range
Santalum spp. ranges from India and Southeast Asia across Australia to many Pacific islands, including Hawaii. Species grow in dry forest, woodland, scrub, and island habitats on free-draining soils, always alongside host plants.Suggested Uses
Grown for aromatic timber and oil in plantations, and as a small evergreen tree in warm, dry-climate gardens where host plants are present. Several species are used in restoration and agroforestry in their native ranges.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6' - 30'
Width/Spread6' - 20'
Bloom Information
Flowering varies with species and climate, often spanning several months and sometimes more than once a year in warm regions. The small dull cream to red-brown flowers are modest, carried in branched clusters, and are followed over weeks by round drupes.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
cream to red-brownFoliage Description
dull greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Santalum spp. needs full sun, warmth, and sharply drained soils, and must be grown with compatible host plants whose roots support the young sandalwood. A soil pH near 6.0-7.5 is suitable, and the genus tolerates lean, dry ground once established. Plants are frost-tender to half-hardy depending on species and resent waterlogging, which causes root rot. Growth is slow, and heartwood with usable oil develops only after many years. Watering is needed mainly to establish young plants alongside their hosts.Pruning
Little pruning is needed beyond removing dead, damaged, or crossing branches to keep an open framework. The genus is slow to regrow, so cuts are light and made mainly to shape young trees.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
winter