Santalum ellipticum

Common Names

Coastal Sandalwood, Coast Sandalwood, Sandalwood, ʻIliahialoʻe, Iliahi, ʻIliahi

Summary

Coast sandalwood is a Hawaiian-endemic evergreen shrub to small tree, typically 1–5 m tall with a 1–3 m canopy, slow-growing and hemi-parasitic on host roots, featuring dull gray-green, leathery leaves; fragrant greenish flowers in terminal and axillary cymes; and purple to black 9–12 mm drupes with a single seed, while heartwood yields aromatic oil used in perfumery and cosmetics and the wood is valued for carving and crafts.

Its habitat includes ocean shores, dry gulches, ridges, and rocky habitats from sea level to about 560 m, tolerating heat, drought, wind, and salt spray; native to Hawaii with extirpations on Laysan and Kahoʻolawe and rarity on Kauaʻi. Propagation is by seed with nicked seedcoat to speed germination (up to ~90% when fresh and nicked); seeds have short viability and should be planted near a host; after establishment, moisture is required monthly in dry months; flowering starts around 3–4 years with heavy flowering and fruiting 7–10 years; edible seeds, dandruff/head lice shampoos from leaf infusion, heartwood essential oil used in perfumery/cosmetics/aromatherapy, and wood used for carving, crafts, and decorative furniture.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

3 ft 3 in - 39 ft 4 in

Spread

3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in

Hardiness Zones

Zones 9-12

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; tolerates partial sun and partial shade.

Soil Type

Light to medium, well-drained soil (sandy to loamy), pH 6.1–7.4; tolerates sandy, coralline, lava/cinder, clay, degraded/eroded soils, including rocky lava-derived soils.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

6.1-7.4 (neutral to mildly alkaline)

Bloom Color

Greenish, sometimes with brown, orange, or salmon tint after opening.

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Grayish green

Fall Foliage Color

Light Green, Red

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Slow growth; about 30–70 cm per year when young, slower under higher shade with optimum around 25%.

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Bees and other pollinators attracted, birds attracted to ripened fruits