‘Iliahi habit in the wild, flowers and fruits. ‘Iliahi and ‘iliahi lau li‘i in urban settings. Trees, leaves (lau) and fruit of normal-sized iliahi and ‘iliahi lau li‘i in comparison with each other.

Growth Requirements

General

    When acquiring or planting your ʻiliahi, it's important to remember that it is a hemiparasitic plant, meaning that it is dependent (at least when young) on a companion host plant and that its roots, and therefore its health, will be connected to the host plant for years; research and observations on how long this dependency lasts are currently inconclusive. If possible, try to get/buy an ʻiliahi seedling that is already sharing its pot with a host plant. If this isn't possible, then either (1) preferred, repot it with a host plant and keep the two together for a while before planting them out together in your landscape, or (2) plant your ʻiliahi in your landscape near an established host plant. Fortunately, ʻiliahi doesn't seem to be too picky about the species when it comes to host plants. While we cannot provide you with a complete list (because we just don't know), we can recommend planting ʻiliahi near koa, koai‘a, lama, nīoi and ‘ōhi‘a. 

    It does well in a mix of organic matter, native soil, and black or red cinder with good drainage. While it can be grown in pots, it will require a host plant. However, ʻiliahi seems to thrive when planted in the ground with a variety of other plants, including ferns, in the area.

    ʻIliahi does best in full sun but can tolerate some shade. Just after planting, keep a daily watch on your seedling to see how it is faring. If it shows any signs of water stress, such as wilting, give it a drink and consider constructing a temporary "umbrella" to shade it. You will know it has established itself in your landscape when it starts to rapidly put out a flush of new leaves (liko). These liko will be tinted bluish-red, red, or purple, in contrast to the pale green leaves of the pre-host seedling. 

    After your ʻiliahi is established and growing, water it approximately once a month during the dry months of the year. Do not overwater an established plant since this can kill it; black sooty mold on its leaves is a good indicator that you are overwatering. ʻIliahi are tolerant of heat, drought, and strong wind.

    Established ʻiliahi benefit from biannual applications of a balanced slow-release fertilizer with minor elements, or monthly foliar feedings with a kelp or fish emulsion or a water-soluble fertilizer diluted to ⅓-½ recommended strength. ʻIliahi seedlings and established plants seem to need iron. A good source is iron chelate, which can be purchased in either a liquid or granular form. Apply the iron chelate two to three times a year as directed.

    Avoid pruning ʻiliahi unless it is absolutely necessary, and then only prune by hand in stages over time. I (Eickhoff) have found, at least on my ʻIliahi, that branches and twigs can be brittle, so be cautious as you pull down on twigs and branches that you are planning to prune or even as you are collecting the fruits. Collect only ripe fruits that will easily come off. If you have to tug at the fruit, it is probably not ripe yet. Also, look on the ground beneath and may discover ripe, dried fruits. Additionally, make sure the host plant(s) do not over-shade your ‘iliahi and prune it as needed.

    A smaller variation of ‘iliahi, which I (Eickhoff) refer to as ‘iliahi lau li‘i, grows alongside the normal-sized ‘iliahi in the wild. These are smaller trees with diminutive leaves, fruits, and seeds. This petite tree maintains its small stature even when cultivated. It grows more slowly and is ideal for small yards or limited spaces that cannot accommodate a full-sized ‘iliahi.

Pests and Diseases

    ʻIliahi can resist most pest attacks, but may infrequently become infested by scale insects or whiteflies. Refer to the Pests & Diseases page for treatments.

Special Features and Information

General

    There are about 1,000 species worldwide in the family Santalaceae. This includes several species endemic to Hawai‘i in the genera Santalum, Exocarpus and Korthalsella. Currently, there are six endemic species of Santalum in Hawai‘i.

    Both ʻiliahi and ʻiliahialoʻe are hemiparasitic. This means they derive some nutrients from another nearby plant through their roots, but are not totally dependent on the other plant. In contrast, the native plants hulumoa (Korthalsella spp.), kaunaʻoa (Cuscuta sandwichiana), and kaunaʻoa pehu (Cassytha filiformis) appear to be fully parasitic.

    Santalum freycinetianum was formerly divided into at least three varieties. Santalum freycinetianum var. freycinetianum is now Santalum freycinetianum and endemic to Oʻahu; S. f. var. lanaiense is now Santalum haleakalae var. lanaiense, endangered and endemic to Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi and Maui; S. f. var. pyrularium is now Santalum pyrularium and endemic to Kauaʻi.

The Hawaiian Sandalwood Trade 

(Our paraphrased summary of a more detailed account by Merlin & VanRavenswaay 1990.)

    As with the other Hawaiian sandalwoods, ʻiliahi and ʻiliahialoʻe were harvested during the Sandalwood trade in Hawai‘i. The trade was fueled by greedy merchants in America, China, and Hawai‘i, as well as the Hawaiian monarchy. 

    In the late 1700s, due to China's (as well as a few other countries) insatiable demand for sandalwood, the white sandalwood (Santalum album), imported from India, was becoming scarcer and scarcer because of over-harvesting. With fewer imports from India, and with the aid of American fur traders, China turned its attention to Hawai‘i's endemic sandalwoods. 

    From the 1790s to the mid-1830s, ʻiliahi populations were devastated while the Hawaiian people who harvested the wood experienced incredible hardships. Thousands of Hawaiians, ordered by their aliʻi under Kamehameha I (the Great), left their homes and lo‘i (terrace gardens) to work upland, cutting down and transporting sandalwood (carried on their backs). Many of these makaʻāinana (commoners) died from exposure to the cold, exhaustion, malnutrition, or disease. And, with no one in the lo‘i growing food, Hawaiʻi suffered one of the worst famines in its history. Ali‘i, who initially profited from the harvested sandalwood, was soon in debt, exploited by foreign traders selling them exotic goods at vastly inflated prices. Meanwhile, in China, the Chinese began calling the Hawaiian Islands Tang Heung Shan, or the "Sandalwood Mountains."

    By the mid-1830s, the sandalwood supply was nearly exhausted in Hawai‘i, and the remaining inferior wood was driving demand and prices down. It was around this time or perhaps somewhat later that merchants tried to sell naio (Myoporum sandwicense), which also has fragrant wood, as genuine sandalwood for a second time with little success; there is a report of one unsuccessful attempt to sell naio to the Chinese around 1790. From this trade, naio acquired the sorry nickname "bastard sandalwood."

    In 1839, King Kamehameha III (Kauikeaouli) finally placed a kapu (royal permission was required to harvest) on the remaining ʻiliahi, reserving two-thirds of it for himself. And by 1840, the Hawaiian sandalwood trade was over.

    Fortunately, the Hawaiian people, the land, and the ʻiliahi have survived, but not without consequences. While not nearly as common as in the past, wild ʻiliahi and ʻiliahialoʻe can still be seen relatively easily in their native habitat; however, very large trees are still difficult to find.

Hawaiian Name

    ʻIliahi is a reference to the reddish color of the plant's new leaves or the tree in general when it is in full bloom [Merlin & VanRavenswaay 1990]. Lāʻau ʻala translates as "fragrant wood" [Pukui & Elbert. 1986].

    The name ‘iliahi lau li‘i, meaning ‘iliahi with small or tiny (li‘i) leaves (lau), is a distinctive name that I (Eickhoff) have given this smaller variation of ‘iliahi (Santalum freycinetianum), and understand that this name is not known to be of ancient Hawaiian origin.

Etymology

    The generic Santalum comes from the Greek santalon, which in turn is from the Arabic word sandal, for the Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) [Florabase]. The specific epithet freycinetianum is named in honor of Captain Henri Louis Claude de Saulces de Freycinet (1779-1840), commander of the French exploration on board which was Charles Gaudichaud-Beaupre, the first Western botanist to come to the Hawaiian Islands [Little & Skolmen1989].