Sandalwood (Santalum album) Oils

Abstract Sandalwood is a commercially and culturally important plant species especially in India belonging to the family Santalaceae. The wood is valued in carving because of its dense character. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the heartwood by steam distillation. The average yield of oil ranges from 3.0% to 6.0%. The sweet, powerful, and lasting odor has made sandalwood oil useful in the perfume industry, soaps, candles, incense, folk medicine, and religious and cultural purposes for centuries. In addition, the wood and its powder are used for religious and medicinal purposes, and the food industry, especially in India. The sandalwood tree flourishes in regions where the climate is cool with moderate rainfall, plentiful sunshine, and long periods of dry weather. The tree is planted in different states of India but large commercial cultivation state is Karnataka. The trees are slow growing and usually take about 30 years for the heartwood to become economically useful in India.