Botanic: Australian Sandalwood
Binomial name: Santalum spicatum (native to Western Australia)
Scent: Woody, floral, soft, balsamic
Function: sandalwood functions as both a base material and an aromatic in incense making; base materials allow the incense to continue to smoulder after you blow the flame out.
Something you might not know: sandalwood trees require a host tree to grow; they tap the roots of their chosen tree for additional water and nutrients. They also produce edible nuts!
I use sustainably harvested Western Australian sandalwood as the base material in all my incense blends. You can find more information about my sourcing process here.
When I was in the early stages of formulating, this was an important ingredient to decide on. I knew I wanted to make incense with the most ethical materials available to me as a small producer, and that meant starting with the botanic Iād need the most of.
Western Australia has a sandalwood regeneration plan in place that ensures the species ongoing survival, and harvesting is strictly monitored by The Forest Products Commission.
Due to commercial demand, Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) is classed as a vulnerable species, and exports from India are prohibited.
I make incense at my kitchen table in Melbourne from sustainably harvested Australian sandalwood, as well as tree resins, plants and essential oils.