Sandalwood Santalum spicatum

Sandalwood is often listed as one of the world's most precious trees. Its wood is used to extract sandalwood oil. Both the wood and the oil give off a distinctive sweet, clean aroma that has been highly prized for centuries. As a result, some of these slow-growing tree species have been over-exploited in the past and have even reached the brink of possible extinction.

Sandalwood, unlike many other aromatic trees, retains its scent for decades. It has therefore been used since ancient times to decorate palaces and temples and to make sacred relics. 

Sandalwood pieces are commonly used for incense. Powder – has been used since ancient times and continues to be used as a medicine in Chinese and Indian medicine, cosmetics and incense too.