General Information

  • Category- Tree, drug
  • Binomial Name- Santalum album
  • Common Names- Chandan, sandal
  • Spread- 157-236 inches
  • Height- 360-396 inches
  • Average Production- 60-100 kg heart wood per plant
  • Days to Maturity- 2555-3650 days

Environmental Requirements:

  • Soil- Red sandy loam and well drained
  • Soil Moisture- 25%
  • Soil pH- 6.5-8.5
  • Sun Requirements- Full sun
  • Temperature range- 12-30 degree Celsius
  • Best Time to Plant- Fall (September-October)

Tips to Grow Sandalwood:

  1. Arrange good quality of sandalwood seeds.
  2. Soak the sandalwood seeds for 24 hours. Let them dry under the full force of the sun. After 1 day in the sun, you should see a crack developing in the seed. At this point, it is ready for germination.
  3. Soil should be red and well draining. It should be moist but not wet.
  4. Arrange a tray and mix 2 parts red earth to 1 part manure and 1 part sand. Fill the planting tray with this mixture. Place the seeds ¾-1 inch below the surface of the soil. Within 4-8 weeks seeds begin to sprout.
  5. When the seedlings are 1 month old, you’ll need to transplant them. You’ll need to plant the seedlings within 3.3 feet of the host plants. The host plants should be at least 3.3 feet tall prior to direct sowing of sandalwood.
  6. Remove any weeds that are competing for moisture around the sandalwood tree, especially during the first year. If you get a period of dry weather, water the sandalwood tree. Twice per week, give it half a litre of water.
  7. Since herbivores love the taste of sandalwood trees, you’ll want to protect your plants. Avoid damage to your sandalwood tree by putting up a fence around the perimeter.
  8. If the host species begins to overshadow the sandalwood tree, you’ll need to prune it back. Otherwise, the sandalwood tree will not get enough light.
  9. The tree starts flowering after around seven years, and the tree trunk develops fragrant heartwood after 10 years.

Chemical Constituents of Sandalwood:

  • Sandalwood oil is the most important constituent. it is present in all the elements of the wood.
  • It is a volatile oil which contains the alcohol santalol.

Uses:

  • The wood is used for the manufacture of boxes, dolls and carvings.
  • The wood powder is used for making agarbatti and incence powder.
  • Sandalwood paste is used in most of the religious functions. It is applied on the forehead and on the surface of body.
  • Sandalwood oil is used as a perfume in toilet preparations.
  • Medicinally it is used in the dysuria, cystitis, gonorrhoes and cough.
  • It is a disinfectant of the whole of genito-urinary tract.
Herbs