The Sandalwood Tree (Chandan) Explained

Sandalwood, called chandan in Hindi, is a small evergreen tree, Santalum album, whose heartwood and the oil distilled from it have a rich, lasting fragrance that has made it one of the most prized scented woods in the world. Native to the dry forests of peninsular India, it has long been associated with Karnataka, which has made sandalwood its state tree, and with the neighbouring parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The tree is unusual because it is a hemiparasite: it makes its own food through photosynthesis but taps the roots of neighbouring host plants for water and minerals. Its scented heartwood takes decades to develop, which explains the high price of genuine sandalwood and the strict laws that protect it. This explainer covers the tree, its biology, its fragrance, its uses and its place in Indian history and law.

Quick Facts

Key Takeaways

• Sandalwood is the common name for Santalum album, a small hemiparasitic evergreen tree native to peninsular India and valued for its scented heartwood.
• The fragrance of sandalwood comes from the heartwood and roots, not from the sapwood, and it strengthens as the tree ages over several decades.
• Sandalwood oil is obtained by steam distillation of the heartwood and is dominated by the compounds alpha-santalol and beta-santalol, which give the oil its characteristic aroma.
• Karnataka has sandalwood as its state tree, and the Mysore region is the best-known historical source of Indian sandalwood.
• Sandalwood is a hemiparasite whose roots attach to the roots of a host plant, so the tree grows poorly without suitable companion species.
• Sandalwood is regulated by state forest laws in India, and cutting, transporting and selling the wood require permission from the authorities.

What is sandalwood?

Sandalwood is a group of fragrant-wooded trees in the genus Santalum, and the best-known species, Santalum album, is the Indian or white sandalwood that has been prized for its scented heartwood and oil for thousands of years. The wood itself is pale yellow to light brown, and its value lies in the aromatic oil locked in the heartwood at the centre of the trunk.

The genus Santalum has about fifteen to twenty species spread over South Asia, Australia and the Pacific islands. Most species produce scented wood, but the Indian species, Santalum album, has traditionally been regarded as the benchmark for quality because of the high proportion of santalols in its oil. Other well-known species include Australian sandalwood and Hawaiian sandalwood, which are used as alternatives in perfumery.

The word chandan is used in Hindi and many other Indian languages both for the tree and for the paste made by grinding the wood on a stone with a little water. Sandalwood paste is applied to the forehead as a mark in religious rituals and used as a cooling cosmetic.

What does a sandalwood tree look like?

A sandalwood tree is a slender evergreen of modest height, usually between 8 and 15 metres, with thin, slightly drooping branches, small oval opposite leaves and a dark grey to reddish-brown bark that becomes fissured with age. The crown is open, and the tree casts light shade.

The flowers are tiny, borne in small clusters at the tips of branches, and change colour as they age, from a yellowish or greenish shade to purplish-brown or reddish. The fruit is a small round drupe, about the size of a pea, that turns purplish-black when ripe. Birds eat the fruit and drop the seeds far from the parent tree, which is how sandalwood has spread through scrub forest in the wild.

The sapwood, which lies just under the bark, is pale and has little or no scent. Only the heartwood, which forms slowly in the core of mature trees, holds the oil. This is why young trees, however healthy, are not harvested for their wood.

Why is sandalwood called a hemiparasite?

Sandalwood is called a hemiparasite because it carries out photosynthesis with its own green leaves but also attaches its roots to the roots of other plants to draw water, nutrients and some organic compounds. The roots form small suckers called haustoria that penetrate the host root.

This habit matters greatly for cultivation. A sandalwood seedling that is raised alone often grows poorly and may die, because it lacks a host to supply it. Foresters therefore plant sandalwood with a primary host, such as a small shrub or herb, in the nursery, and with a long-term secondary host tree in the field. Hosts commonly used in India include nitrogen-fixing species such as Pongamia, casuarina, cassia and various legumes, which help the sandalwood to grow well.

The host plants are not usually killed, but a heavy infestation of haustoria can slow them. Good plantation design provides a balance of hosts so that both the sandalwood and its companions remain healthy.

Where does sandalwood grow in India?

Sandalwood grows naturally in the dry deciduous and scrub forests of the Deccan plateau, mainly in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, at elevations up to about 1,200 metres. The region around Mysore and the Kodagu and Shimoga districts in Karnataka, the Javadi hills in Tamil Nadu and the Marayoor area of Kerala are well-known sandalwood tracts.

Marayoor, in Idukki district, Kerala, is notable as one of the few places where natural sandalwood forest is still protected, and it has a reserve managed by the forest department. In Tamil Nadu, sandalwood occurs in the hills of the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats region.

The tree prefers well-drained red loam and lateritic soils, moderate rainfall of roughly 600 to 1,600 millimetres a year, and a warm climate without hard frost. Waterlogged soils and strong winds are unfavourable. In recent decades, sandalwood has also been planted by farmers and agro-forestry growers in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and other states, where it is intercropped with host trees.

How long does sandalwood take to mature?

Sandalwood takes many years to mature, and heartwood with a useful oil content generally forms only after about 15 years, with trees often harvested at 20 to 30 years of age or more. The oil content and quality rise as the tree ages and the heartwood thickens.

The slow growth is one of the main economic challenges of sandalwood farming. A grower needs patience and secure land for decades, and the tree must be protected against theft and disease. Because the wood is valuable, many growers use fencing, monitoring and, in some states, official registration of trees.

Sandalwood is also vulnerable to sandal spike disease, a disease caused by a phytoplasma, a type of bacterium-like organism spread by sap-feeding insects. The disease was first recorded in the Kodagu region of Karnataka in the late nineteenth century. Infected trees produce small, stunted, narrow leaves and lose their oil, and the disease has damaged natural sandalwood stands in southern India.

What makes sandalwood fragrant?

The fragrance of sandalwood comes mainly from two sesquiterpene alcohols called alpha-santalol and beta-santalol, which together make up the bulk of the essential oil in the heartwood of Santalum album. These compounds give the oil its soft, woody, creamy and slightly sweet aroma that persists for many hours on skin and cloth.

International quality standards for East Indian sandalwood oil specify a high minimum content of total santalols, and the oil from mature Indian trees typically meets this requirement. Oil from younger trees or from other Santalum species usually has a lower proportion of santalols and a somewhat different aroma.

The oil is produced by steam distillation of chipped or powdered heartwood and roots. Distillation can take many hours or even days, and the yield is modest compared with the weight of wood used. Together with the slow growth of the tree, this accounts for the high price of genuine sandalwood oil.

What is sandalwood used for?

Sandalwood is used for fragrance, ritual, cosmetics and traditional medicine, and its oil is one of the most valued natural ingredients in perfumery. The wood, its powder and its paste are all part of Indian cultural life.

In Ayurveda, sandalwood is described as cooling and is applied as a paste for heat and skin conditions. These traditional uses are part of cultural practice and should not be confused with medical treatment. Scientific research on the oil’s properties is ongoing.

What is the history of sandalwood in India?

Sandalwood has a recorded history in India that goes back many centuries, appearing in ancient Sanskrit literature, in temple worship and in trade with other parts of Asia. The tree has been valued as a source of scent and as an offering since early times, and its wood was exchanged along trade routes to China, West Asia and beyond.

In southern India, sandalwood came under royal control. The rulers of Mysore treated the tree as a royal asset, and Tipu Sultan is traditionally said to have declared it a royal tree in the eighteenth century. The tradition of state ownership continued under later rulers and under the British administration, and sandalwood remained a monopoly of the state in Karnataka for generations.

Industrial use grew in the early twentieth century. The Mysore state started a factory to make sandalwood soap in 1916, and Mysore Sandal Soap later became one of the country’s best-known consumer brands, produced by Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited. A government sandalwood oil factory was also established in Mysore to distil oil from the state’s wood.

Who owns sandalwood trees and how is the trade regulated?

Sandalwood trees in India are regulated by state forest laws, and the wood is treated as a controlled species, with felling, transport and sale allowed only with the permission of the forest department. In the past, sandalwood in states such as Karnataka was considered state property even when it grew on private land.

Policy changed in the early 2000s, when several states began to allow private growers to cultivate sandalwood and to receive a share of its sale value under state rules. Growers are generally required to register trees, and cutting and transport need official permits. The wood is often sold through government depots or auctions, and the framework differs from state to state.

Sandalwood has also been a target of illegal felling and smuggling because of its high value. The 2000s saw widespread attention to this problem, particularly in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Protective measures include patrolling, fencing, tree registration and, for farmers, tagging.

Is sandalwood endangered?

Sandalwood, Santalum album, is assessed as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, mainly because of overharvesting, illegal felling, habitat loss and disease. Natural stands in India have declined sharply compared with the past, and many remaining trees are young or scattered.

Conservation work in India focuses on protecting wild stands, encouraging cultivation on farms to reduce pressure on forests, and controlling sandal spike disease. Research institutions, including the Institute of Wood Science and Technology in Bengaluru, work on propagation, host management and disease control.

It is useful to distinguish true sandalwood from other woods sold under similar names. Red sanders, or red sandalwood, is a different tree in a different family. Several oils and incense products sold as sandalwood use substitute woods or synthetic fragrances.

Bottom Line

Sandalwood is the slow-growing, hemiparasitic Indian tree whose scented heartwood has shaped perfumery, ritual and trade for centuries. It remains valuable, protected and, in the wild, threatened, which is why its cultivation is regulated and takes patient, long-term planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is sandalwood?

Sandalwood is the common name for Santalum album, a small evergreen tree of peninsular India whose heartwood contains a fragrant oil. The wood and oil are used in perfumery, incense, rituals, cosmetics and traditional medicine. In Hindi the tree and its paste are both called chandan.

Why is sandalwood so expensive?

Sandalwood is expensive because the tree grows slowly, takes about 15 years or more to form scented heartwood, and is often harvested only after two or three decades. The oil also has to be extracted by long steam distillation, with a modest yield. Legal restrictions and a limited supply add to the price.

Which state is known for sandalwood?

Karnataka is the state best known for sandalwood, and the tree is its state tree. The Mysore region in particular has a long association with high-quality sandalwood and sandalwood products. Tamil Nadu and Kerala also have natural sandalwood forests.

Can sandalwood be grown on a farm in India?

Yes, sandalwood can be grown on farms in India, since several states allow private cultivation under registration and permit rules. The tree needs a suitable host plant, well-drained soil and many years of protection before harvest. Growers should check the current rules of their state forest department before planting and before cutting.

Is red sanders the same as sandalwood?

No, red sanders is not the same as sandalwood. Red sanders, Pterocarpus santalinus, is a different tree of the pea family with deep red, mostly unscented heartwood, whereas sandalwood, Santalum album, is a member of the sandalwood family with fragrant, pale heartwood. Both are found in southern India but are regulated separately.

What gives sandalwood its smell?

The smell of sandalwood comes mainly from the compounds alpha-santalol and beta-santalol in the heartwood oil. These substances give the wood its soft, woody and creamy fragrance. The scent develops as the heartwood forms with age.

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