Sandalwood -Species-Growth-Regions

Where Sandalwood Grows

Sandalwood has a fairly good spread over the earth. It’s found in the west from Central America, Caribbean, South America, and stretches itself in the east from various parts of North Africa and then into India. You may also find sandalwood in South East Asia, Japan and Australia and in Hawaii. WOW

Different Families of Sandalwood

1. Santalaceae

A. Santalum

i. Album

ii. Austrocaledonicum

iii. Ellipticum

iv. Freycinetianum

v. Haleakalae

vi. Paniculatum

vii. Spicatum

viii. Yasi

2. Rutacea

B. Amyris

i. Balsamifera

How Does Sandalwood Grow?

Sandalwood species are parasitic. They artificially produce their own nutrients but start off using host trees to suck the living life out of them (i.e. their water and nutrients).

Sandalwood Uses

Traditionally Sandalwood and its various varieties have been used by native peoples as a food source from its fruits and as medicine. Other uses included crafts and furniture. Its leaves were burned as an insect repellent. Essential oil and perfumery related use are traditional but not as ancient as the uses mentioned above.

Some Sandalwood varieties not mentioned above due yield a fragrant scent but do not yield fragrant essential oils.

Quality of Sandalwood

The quality of Sandalwood depends on its age, species, climate, soil conditions, rainfall, and region. The most valued Sandalwood today is the Santalum Album species which can be found in Southern India, Indonesia and North Western Australia. The most valued of Santalum Album today comes from various regions of India, most notably South East India. Next are the Indonesian and then Australian.

In addition to producing Santalum Album in North Western Australia, Santalum Spicatum is commercially produced for main uses as incense due to the very little to none oil yields.

Historically, and in my opinion, the best Sandalwood comes from Hawaii. Hawaiian Sandalwood was on the brink of extinction due to Chinese demand of Sandalwood which caused over harvestation. It may be possible some other native Hawaiian Sandalwood species may have gone extinct without our knowledge. The U.S. government has produced a program which is being implemented today that seeks to replant lost native species (of all plants) and continual effort is saving the Hawaiian natural habitats.

One species of Sandalwood has been extinct due to habitat loss in South America.

To purchase the scent of sandalwood please click here.

Agarwood Species

Here is a partial list of some of the agarwood species:

1. A. Beccariana van Tiegh


2. A. Hirta Ridl.


3. A. Microcarpa Baill


4. A Cumingiana (Decne) Ridl.


5. A. Filaria (Oken) Merr.


6. A. Brachyantha (Merr.) Hall. F.


7. A. Urdanetensis (Elmer) Hall. F.


8. A. Citrinaecarpa (Elmer) Hall F.


9. A. Apiculata Elmer


10. A. Malaccensis

Aetoxylon Sympetalum

Aetoxylon Sympetalum is an agarwood tree that can grow anywhere from 40m tall to 60cm wide. It is known as gaharu Buaya in Indonesia and its a fairly cheap agarwood commodity.

Its widespread, unthreatened (according to some resources) and smells great. Aetoxylon is also used in agarwood blends to help meet demands on other existing ouds which are more expensive.

Its colours (in oil form) can range from a nice light honey to a dark blackish/brownish colour depending on its quality. It has a light smell thats very sweet and woodsy. This scent is found in Aquilaria Malaccensis and Agallocha after all the animalistic notes have faded away, yet it is still much, much sweeter.

Oil viscosity is thick and rubs on smoothly.

For more Aetoxylon please purchase some directly from Olive Aura.

Olive Oil: Massage

Here is a website that I just love: http://www.healthymuslim.com It is a Muslim based website with traditional Prophetic Medicines and contemporary information. Once I found this website, I got hooked.

Here is a link on Olive Oil benefits: http://www.healthymuslim.com/articles/ipyru-ibn-al-qayyim-the-benefits-of-olive-oil.cfm

My Topic: Olive Oil & Body Massage

Warming olive oil and using it for a deep body-massage may potentially have great benefits. People, especially those enduring hard physical stress on their body, should use it. Using it for a complete body massage is also great, provided its done after a sauna and then in a hot-humid room followed by a nice cold or semi-cold shower.

When using it in a body massage, especially for the back, make sure the one servicing you is an expert in massage therapy and that they heat the oil to a warm temperature.

Olive oil massages serves multiple purposes when using it as a massage: therapeutic, hygienic, and cosmetic. Whoever has given an olive oil massage will know. Lots of dirt and dead skin will be released when olive oil is used as a massage, so its a good idea to keep at least a cup of it by you just to massage the back. Wipe off the used olive oil and keep repeating the massage. Your skin should come out clean, your muscles relaxed in addition to its beautifying properties. Upon completion of the massage, keep the body a little bit warm for about 15mins and then shower.

It is noted in history that olive oil was an essential part of a gladiator's diet, hygiene and medication. This cherished oil was dubbed "liquid-gold" and I can see why it still is today.

For more information on Olive Oil please visit : http://www.mediterraneandiet.gr/oliveoilhealth.html & http://www.oliveoilonly.org/

Herbal Baths

Herbal baths can be great if you can get the right mixture of ingredients with healing and cleansing properties along with some aroma therapy.

Some great herbals bath recipes below:

Honey-Rose

• 1/3rd Cup liquid honey


• Earl Grey tea bags (as many as you'd like)

For twists to this bath, add orange or lemon-peels to add to the aroma or a touch valencia orange essential oil.

Mint-Tea Bath

• Fresh or dried mint leaves (about one handful)


• Tea (of any kind you like)

Herbal Mix

• 2 Earl Grey Tea bag


• 2 Tablespoons dried thyme


• 3 Tablespoons dried hibiscus


• 1 Tablespoon Sage


• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Camomile


• 1 1/4 tablespoons Anise


• Pinch of dried mint leaves

This is a great herbal tea bath. You can also play with the ingredients to your likings. Adding bits of rose, orange blossom petals, lavendar, and other sweet smelling herbs and flowering plants is a great thing to do.

Natural Hair Dye

A beautiful natural hair dye to use is HENNA. The hair dye colours (after application) can range from a bright blonde to a beautiful dark red. It can also be used for dye on the skin.

Please beware of any "black henna" or "neutral henna" which may contain synthetic chemicals which are VERY harmful to the body.

To use henna for temporary body art, mix henna powder into a muddy consistency with some water and apply generous amounts to the body. Let the henna completely dry and become a crust. After henna becomes a crust, leave it on for anywhere upto half-hour to approx 4 hours to get a really strong dye.

Henna paste may also be use to help ease foot-pain by applying henna to the soles' of your feet and letting it dry as recommended.

Black Seed

This is the most under-rated, unspoken about, hidden, unknown seed in the world. It should be deemed an "ultra-super seed." Black seed, or Nigella sativa, is a wonder seed that has so many remedies, I cannot even list them.

It is extremely useful as a detox, immune strengthener, and sexual enhancer.

You can search articles about blackseed from sites like http://www.healthymuslim.com where many devout muslims use it as a traditional medicine. You may also find Far East people from India to Indonesia using it. It is also used in Egypt and Turkey.

If anyone has any other links about blackseed to share, please feel free to forward them to info@oliveaura.com