Santalum spicatum aka West Australian Sandalwood

Santalum spicatum has the common name West Australian sandalwood. It belongs to Santalaceae, the sandalwood family. Its native range runs from Western Australia to south-central South Australia. It grows in dry shrubland, woodland, and open woodland. Sites include rocky ground, red sands, and loamy soils. It grows in warm lowlands from sea level to 1,640 feet [500 metres].

This evergreen shrub or small tree has a slow growth rate. Garden sources give its height and width as near 13 feet [4 metres]. Wider accounts give heights of 10–26 feet [3–8 metres]. Its open crown has stiff branches that spread out. Rough grey bark covers a trunk that may grow crooked. The small flowers have both green and red tones. They grow in branched groups called panicles and smell like rotting flesh. Insects carry pollen between the flowers. The fruits start green, then turn brown as they ripen.

Sandalwood needs more than the right soil and climate. It is a root hemiparasite: its roots take water and nutrients from nearby host plants. It grows poorly without a host. Young plants may die if their roots fail to attach. This makes it harder to get started than many shrubs. Few seeds sprout, even in protected sites. Nicking or rubbing down the seed coat can help more seeds sprout.

Choose a sunny site, though the plant accepts some shade. It prefers dry soil that drains well and withstands drought. It grows in sand, loam, or clay, including poor soils. It also copes with salt in soil and coastal exposure. Sources differ on the soil pH it prefers. One gives mildly acid soil; another reports a much wider range. PFAF lists USDA zones 10–12. Dormant plants may survive about −4°C. New growth, though, can suffer at 0°C.

People harvest the tree for its scented wood, mostly from the wild. They distil the wood to get an essential oil. Reported uses include incense, soap, beauty products, and urinary tract remedies. These uses do not prove that such treatments work or are safe. Fallen leaves and seeds return nutrients to the soil. The tree may give shade. Near crops, though, growers must take its parasitic roots into account. The fruits, pods, and seed kernels have food uses. Aboriginal Australians have eaten the oil-rich kernels as part of their traditional diet. The sources report no known hazards. They give no specific assessment of safety for pets.