Santalum freycinetianum

Common Names

Iliahi, Freycinet Sandalwood, Forest Sandalwood, Lanai Sandalwood, Hawaiian Sandalwood, Sandalwood

Summary

Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, forest sandalwood is an evergreen shrub to tree typically 1–9 m tall with slender, sometimes drooping branches and papery to leathery leaves 4–9 cm long; mature leaves are green, with younger leaves often purple-tinged, and the plant bears red to pink flowers with a mildly fragrant aroma and drupes 8–24 mm that mature reddish‑purple to black. It is a hemiparasite, requiring host plants and often interplanted with suitable hosts, and it occurs on ridges and slopes in moist or wet forests as well as in dry forests on Lana‘i, at elevations about 250–950 m with 500–3800 mm of annual rainfall; three varieties are recognized: freycinetianum, lanaiense, and pyrularium.

Propagation is seed-based with pre-treatments such as presoak, seedcoat removal, gibberellic acid, and sulfur–captan; germination typically 10–50% and up to about 90% with fresh seed and Koebele method, occurring in 1–3 weeks; seeds store dry and refrigerated around 5°C for years. Seedlings require 30–50% shade after germination and are transplanted at the four-leaf stage into well-drained media; plantation spacing 4–5 m. Uses include heartwood essential oil for perfumes, incense, and medicines; wood used for carvings and decorative items; seeds are edible though rare; var lanaiense is endangered.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

3-40 feet

Spread

15-40 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 9-12

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; also suitable in partial sun and partial shade.

Soil Type

Light to medium, well-drained soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soils

Soil pH

6.1–7.4 (neutral to mildly alkaline)

Bloom Color

Red

Bloom Time

Year-round, with two peaks in late summer and fall.

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

No fall color; evergreen (green year-round)

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Slow-growing, 0.3–0.7 m/yr (1–2.3 ft/yr)

Seasons of Interest

All year, usually with two peaks

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Root-suckering (vegetative propagation)

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, other pollinators, birds