{"product_id":"australian-sandalwood-seeds-santalum-spicatum","title":"Australian Sandalwood Seeds | Santalum spicatum","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSource of Australian Sandalwood Essential Oil • Western Australian Provenance • Extraordinary Root Hemiparasite\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eProduct Highlights\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePack Size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Standard Pack • 5 Seeds or Best Value Pack • 15 Seeds\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Western Australia\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBotanical Name:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eSantalum spicatum\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAromatic Value:\u003c\/strong\u003e Source species for Western Australian sandalwood essential oil, produced within the fragrant heartwood and prized in perfumery, incense and cosmetics\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Long-lived root hemiparasitic shrub or small tree\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth Habit:\u003c\/strong\u003e Open-canopied evergreen, typically 3 to 8 metres tall\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHost Relationship:\u003c\/strong\u003e Requires compatible living host plants during establishment; \u003cem\u003eAcacia acuminata\u003c\/em\u003e is a proven principal host\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSuitable For:\u003c\/strong\u003e Australian native collections, dryland gardens and specialist sandalwood plantings\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun once established\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSeed Preparation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Supplied unscarified; sow whole seed beside an established compatible host\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout Australian Sandalwood\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAustralian Sandalwood is the Western Australian native behind one of Australia’s great aromatic woods. \u003cem\u003eSantalum spicatum\u003c\/em\u003e develops its celebrated fragrance within the heartwood, where valuable sandalwood oil accumulates as the tree matures. That oil has been sought internationally for generations for perfumery, incense and cosmetics, while the scented timber itself remains one of Western Australia’s most distinctive natural products.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is also a remarkable tree biologically. Australian Sandalwood is a root hemiparasite. Its green leaves manufacture their own energy through photosynthesis, but underground the tree forms specialised haustorial connections with neighbouring host roots, drawing part of its water and mineral nutrition from the plants around it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAcacia acuminata\u003c\/em\u003e, commonly known as Raspberry Jam Wattle, is one of the principal host species used in Western Australian sandalwood establishment. It is not the only suitable host, and a mixture of compatible host species can support a resilient long-term planting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe seed supplied here is Western Australian provenance and is supplied unscarified. Growing Australian Sandalwood from seed is a long-term botanical project, offering the unusual opportunity to establish the native species responsible for Western Australia’s historic aromatic sandalwood industry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eDid You Know?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Marsupial Foresters\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAustralian Sandalwood has an extraordinary natural seed courier: the Woylie, or Brush-tailed Bettong. Much like a squirrel caching acorns, this small nocturnal marsupial gathers sandalwood nuts and buries them individually in shallow underground caches for later.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWoylies can carry sandalwood nuts up to 80 metres from the original tree before burying them beneath the soil. Not every cache is recovered, leaving some seeds already dispersed and buried where winter moisture can trigger germination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir role is so important that Western Australia’s large-scale mechanical sandalwood regeneration program is called Operation Woylie. Each year, machinery now imitates a behaviour that these remarkable marsupials once performed naturally across the landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOrigins \u0026amp; Ethnobotanical History\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSantalum spicatum\u003c\/em\u003e is native across much of the southern two-thirds of Western Australia and extends into South Australia, growing through dry and semi-arid landscapes where suitable soils and host plants allow it to survive prolonged periods of low rainfall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts human history reaches far deeper than the modern sandalwood industry. Aboriginal peoples across Western Australia have longstanding cultural and food relationships with sandalwood, including the use of its nuts as a food resource. The tree formed part of Country and Indigenous knowledge systems long before European commercial harvesting began.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the mid-1840s, Western Australian Sandalwood had entered international trade. Demand for its intensely fragrant heartwood grew strongly in Asian markets, helping create one of Western Australia’s oldest export industries. The aromatic oil contained within that heartwood remains central to the species’ value today, particularly for perfume, incense and cosmetic applications.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe story now extends from wild harvest into deliberate regeneration and plantation forestry. Western Australian sandalwood plantations are managed over decades to allow valuable heartwood and oil to develop, while large-scale regeneration programs continue to return millions of seeds to suitable landscapes. It is a rare Australian native whose cultural history, ecology and international aromatic trade remain deeply connected.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Guide\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow to Grow Australian Sandalwood from Seed in Australia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBest Time to Start:\u003c\/strong\u003e April to June, timed to reliable late-autumn and early-winter moisture. In other suitable dry Australian climates, follow the same cool-season moisture principle and avoid persistently waterlogged conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e01 Establish a Suitable Host First\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEstablish a compatible host before sowing your sandalwood. Western Australian field research has successfully established \u003cem\u003eSantalum spicatum\u003c\/em\u003e beside young \u003cem\u003eAcacia acuminata\u003c\/em\u003e, and Raspberry Jam Wattle is one of the principal host species used for this purpose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAllow the host to become established before introducing sandalwood. \u003cem\u003eAcacia acuminata\u003c\/em\u003e is not the only suitable host, and incorporating more than one compatible host species can benefit a long-term planting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e02 Sow the Whole Seed\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour seed is supplied unscarified. Sow the whole sandalwood nut intact rather than sanding, filing or cutting it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant approximately 2 to 3 cm deep and around 40 to 50 cm from the established host stem, where developing host roots are likely to be present. Use a deep, free-draining soil and firm the surface gently after sowing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e03 Use Cool-Season Moisture\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeep the sowing area evenly moist after planting without saturating the soil. Late-autumn and winter rainfall provides the natural model for sandalwood establishment in Western Australia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter good autumn or winter rain, sandalwood seeds normally require around 4 to 8 weeks to germinate, with seedlings emerging afterwards. Seeds can remain viable in the soil well beyond the first rainfall event, so do not assume an intact seed has failed simply because emergence is delayed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e04 Protect the Young Seedling\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeep weeds and dense competing growth away from the immediate sowing area while seedlings are small. Protect young plants from grazing, trampling and unnecessary disturbance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvoid digging around the shared root zone. Developing sandalwood roots must be able to encounter compatible host roots and form the haustorial connections essential to long-term establishment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e05 Maintain the Host Relationship\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeep healthy compatible host plants growing with the sandalwood as it develops. Treat the host as a permanent part of the planting rather than something to remove once the sandalwood germinates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs the sandalwood matures, provide full sun, good drainage and adequate long-term space. Avoid severe disturbance around the root zone and protect established plants from fire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGermination Notice\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile we provide detailed growing instructions, successful germination depends on environmental factors such as season, temperature, moisture, growing medium and care. Because these conditions are outside our control, Sacred Plants Australia cannot guarantee germination outcomes. By purchasing our seeds, you acknowledge and accept these variables.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant Care \u0026amp; Maintenance\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Grow in full sun once established. Young seedlings benefit from protection while small, but mature sandalwood performs best with strong light and an open position.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWater:\u003c\/strong\u003e Maintain reliable moisture while the host and young sandalwood establish, then reduce supplementary watering as plants mature. Avoid prolonged waterlogging.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Choose deep, free-draining soil. Australian Sandalwood can grow across sandy, loamy and clay-loam soils where drainage is good.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeeding:\u003c\/strong\u003e Focus on maintaining healthy host growth rather than heavily fertilising the sandalwood itself. Where soil fertility is low, light feeding of the host can assist establishment.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCool Conditions:\u003c\/strong\u003e Established Australian Sandalwood tolerates dry conditions and moderate frost, but very young plants should be protected from severe frost and exposed frost hollows.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaintenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Maintain healthy compatible hosts and minimise disturbance to the shared root zone. Remove damaged growth only where necessary and manage combustible material because sandalwood is sensitive to fire.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eShipping \u0026amp; Biosecurity\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eACT\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAvailable\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNSW\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAvailable\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNT\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAvailable\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQLD\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAvailable\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSA\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAvailable\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTAS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eConditions apply\u003cbr\u003ePlease verify current Tasmanian small-weight seed import requirements before ordering.\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/nre.tas.gov.au\/biosecurity-tasmania\/plant-biosecurity\/small-weight-seed-imports\"\u003eView Tasmanian seed import requirements →\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVIC\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAvailable\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWA\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAvailable\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eINTERNATIONAL\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eConditions apply\u003cbr\u003ePlease confirm your destination’s import requirements before ordering. International post is available where permitted. Sacred Plants Australia does not provide phytosanitary certificates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003csmall\u003eLast Reviewed: 1 October 2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/biosecurity-import-information\"\u003eBiosecurity \u0026amp; Shipping Information →\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sacred Plants Australia","offers":[{"title":"Starter Pack • 5 Seeds","offer_id":53983946277158,"sku":"SWS-5","price":14.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Best Value Pack • 15 Seeds • Save 33%","offer_id":53983946309926,"sku":"SWS-15","price":29.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1035\/7656\/8102\/files\/sacred-plants-australia-australian-sandalwood-seeds-santalum-spicatum-mature-brown-fruit-on-branch.png?v=1790824128","url":"https:\/\/sacredplants.com.au\/products\/australian-sandalwood-seeds-santalum-spicatum","provider":"Sacred Plants Australia","version":"1.0","type":"link"}