Santalum paniculatum var. paniculatum & var. pilgeri
Santalaceae or Sandalwood family
Synonyms for var. paniculatum: Santalum ellipticum f. annectens, Santalum ellipticum var. latifolium, Santalum ellipticum var. luteum, Santalum freycinetianum var. latifolium, Santalum latifolium, Santalum paniculatum, Santalum paniculatum var. chartaceum, Santalum pilgeri var. luteum
Synonyms for var. pilgeri: Santalum pilgeri
ʻIliahi
ʻAʻahi, ʻAoa, Lāʻau ʻala, Wahie ʻala
Mountain sandalwood, Pilger's sandalwood, Sandalwood
Natural Range & Environment
Hawaii Island
This species (S. paniculatum) is found in scattered dry woodland on lava or cinder cones to higher elevation wet forest or secondary ʻōhiʻa (Metrosideros) forest from about 1475 to over 8300 feet.
The l
Description
Shrub
Tree
10 to over 30 foot canopy. The canopy diameter is approximately half the height of the tree. [1]
Long lived (Greater than 5 years)
Upper side of leaves have a green glossy surface. Lower sides are often dull or pale and usually different colors, occasionally yellowish orange to bluish or olive green.
Flowers are mildly scented to unscented, but the heartwood is very fragrant in 30+ years old trees. [1]
Santalum paniculatum is one of the "white-fowered" ʻiliahi along with ʻiliahialoʻe or Coastal sandalwood (S. ellipticum) and ʻiliahi or Involute sandalwood (S. involutum). [9]
The flowers of this species are greenish tinged with brown, orange, or salmon after opening and produce a sweet fragrance.
The blooming period varies throughout the spring, summer and fall months. [1]
The fruits (drupes) are purple to blackish-purple.
ʻIliahi can and do hybridize with the East Indian, or white, sandalwood (Santalum album), an introduced species also grown in the Hawaiian Islands. [2]
Santalum paniculatum is closely related to S. ellipticum.
Wild Santalum ellipticum vary dramatically in stature, leaf morphology, and even flower color depending on where they are found. We are still waiting for a common garden experiment to determine how much of this morphological variation is genetically based and how much is the result of different environmental conditions. However, generally, wild ʻiIiahialoʻe very near the ocean are prostrate or sprawling and have blue-green leathery leaves. As you move inland, the ʻiliahialoʻe you see get taller, first being very bushy shrubs, and then eventually becoming undeniable trees in the uplands (see photographs above). ʻIliahialoʻe's leaves also change, becoming less and less leathery, and more and more green and droopy (as they hang from the branches). And, while most ʻiliahialoʻe have greenish- or yellowish-white flowers, there are some places like Nānākuli Valley where some ʻiIiahialoʻe have flowers with a reddish tint or red throat; this red flower color may be evidence of a Santalum ellipticum x S. freycinetianum hybridization.
ʻIIiahialoʻe are long-lived (greater than five years) plants with a fragrant heartwood. According to Joseph Rock [1974], "The older and bigger the tree the more valuable it becomes, as its fragrance increases with age...in small and young trees the roots only are fragrant." ʻIIiahialoʻe flowers develop in clusters, are mild to very fragrant, and perfect (have both male and female parts). Blooming seems to be sporadic (but more common in spring and summer) in the wild and more continuous in cultivation. Pollinated flowers develop into reddish or dark purple drupes (fleshy fruits with a single seed) with either shiny or dull skin. Birds, particularly red-vented bulbuls in the lowlands, are attracted to the ripe fruits. Therefore, if you wish to harvest seeds for future propagation, you should pick them as soon as they turn color, or protect the still-green fruits with a party-favors net bag until they ripen. Do not harvest still-green fruits because the seeds inside will not (normally) germinate.
Growth Requirements
General
Accent
Screening
Specimen Plant
In an urban environment this ʻiliahi (S. paniculatum) will grow as a shrub or tree from 10 to 33 feet. In the landscape under optimal conditions,ʻiliahi can grow 2 1/2 feet per year, although usually slower. [1]
It is important to plant out our native sandalwoods with host plants, such as ʻaʻaliʻi, koa, koaiʻa, lama, alaheʻe, ʻōhiʻa, māmaki, ʻūlei, koʻokoʻolau, or naio. It has been suggested to use a number of different species as hosts to ensure that ʻiliahi will be provided with enough nutrients and water from a variety of sources. Too, ʻiliahi are not choosy about host plants. The health of ʻiliahi is tied to the health of the neighboring plants.
When younger 13-13-13 slow release fertilizer every six months is beneficial. Saplings do appreciate foliar feeding in early morning with a water-soluble or an organic fertilizer (e.g. kelp or fish emulsion) at one-third to one-fourth the recommended strength monthly or every other month.
ʻIliahi seem to require extra iron. A good source is iron chelate in a liquid or granular form. Apply two or three times a year.
Though some pruning may be required, more attention should be given to keeping the surrounding vegetation in check so that sufficient light is provided and so that it will not overwhelm the slower growing ʻiliahi.
Moist
Moderately dry to wet conditions.
Soil must be well drained
Full sun
Partial sun
ʻIliahi can survive in 60-70% shade but grow slowly. Preferably 25% shade from nearby low brush is good. Partial sun when first planted out at under a foot or less in height. When roots attach to host they should be able to handle the full sun. Look for signs of new growth for an established plant. [1]
Tolerances
Drought
Wind
Soils
Sand
Cinder
Organic
Will not tolerate waterlogging of two weeks or more without good drainage. [1]
Coastal Santalum ellipticum are usually prostrate to short shrubs with succulent leaves, while more inland ʻiliahialoʻe tend to be taller shrubs or trees with more papery leaves. Therefore, you should inquire about the origin of your ʻiliahialoʻe to determine if it is the right type for your location (e.g., Do you live in a beach house or upland getaway?), and decide where to plant it in your landscape. Short ʻiliahialoʻe can be used to create an informal (i.e., lightly pruned) hedge, while treelike forms, with a little pruning, can be made into a nice shade tree.
When acquiring or planting your ʻiliahialoʻe, it's important to remember that it is a hemiparasitic plant, 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. In our experience, ʻiliahialoʻe seedlings without a host plant will live for about one year. If possible, try to get/buy an ʻiliahialoʻe 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 ʻiliahialoʻe in your landscape near an established host plant. Fortunately, ʻiliahialoʻe 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 upland ʻiliahialoʻe near ‘āweoweo, or koai‘a, and planting coastal ʻiliahialoʻe near ‘ākulikui, ‘ilima, or pōhinahina; check out the new webpage at A Native Hawaiian Garden on the results of a host plant experiment I (Koebele) recently concluded.
ʻIliahialoʻe does best in a site with full sunlight for all or most of the day, but can tolerate a bit of 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. These new leaves will be tinted bluish-red, red, or purple, in contrast to the pale green leaves of the pre-host seedling.
After your ʻiliahialoʻe is established and growing, water it approximately once a month during the dry months of the year. Do not overwater an established ʻIliahialoʻe since this can kill it; black sooty mold on its leaves is a good indicator you are overwatering. ʻIliahialoʻe can tolerate extreme heat, drought, and strong winds. Coastal types are tolerant of salt spray. ʻiliahialoʻe don't seem to be fussy about soil type and will grow in sandy and coralline soils, lava/cinder, clay, and even heavily degraded or eroded soils.
Both ʻiliahialoʻe seedlings and established in-the-ground plants seem to need iron. And often, the natural soil provides enough iron and other nutrients that established in-the-ground ʻiliahialoʻe do not require fertilizers. However, if your ʻiliahialoʻe is off-color (i.e., yellowing) or barely grows, try applying a balanced controlled-release fertilizer with minor elements (including iron), or monthly foliar feedings with an organic or inorganic water-soluble fertilizer diluted to ⅓ to ½ the recommended strength. A good source of iron is iron chelate, which you can buy in either a liquid or granular form. Apply the iron chelate two to three times a year as directed.
Avoid pruning ʻiliahialoʻe unless it is absolutely necessary, and then only prune by hand in stages over time. Additionally, make sure the host plant(s) does not over-shade your ʻiliahialoʻe and prune it if needed. Also, be careful using herbicides around ʻiliahialoʻe because of possible root connections between your ʻiliahialoʻe and the weeds you are trying to kill. The safest course of action is to always weed by hand around your plant. Merlin et al. [2005] recommend that "weeds within a radius of the tree equal to about twice its height should be" removed by hand or machine.
Pests and Diseases
Few pests bother healthy ʻiliahi. In weakened stages whitefly or scale may infest plants. A protective barrier may be used for newly planted saplings from slugs, snails, and other pests.
ʻIliahialoʻe can resist most pest attacks, but may infrequently become infested by scale insects or whiteflies. Occasionally, insects such as cockroaches and sowbugs will chew on the stem/trunk at ground level. Snails and slugs too may also feed and potentially girdle seedlings. Refer to the Pests & Diseases page for ways to protect your ʻiliahialoʻe seedling and deal with these pests.
Uses
Ancient Hawaiian
The fragrant heartwood of ʻiliahi was pounded into a fine powder and then re-pounded into newly-made kapa to mask its bad odor, or mixed with coconut oil when waterproofing the kapa [Krauss 1972; Kepler 1985]. The wood was also sometimes fashioned into an ʻūkēkē (musical bow) [Buck 1964], or used as firewood [Wagner 1986]. The wood was favored for making the pola, the platform on a double-hulled canoe [Holmes 1981]. For dandruff and head lice, Hawaiians made a shampoo containing an infusion of ‘iliahi leaves [Krauss 1972].
According to Ka‘aiakamanu & Akina [1922], to treat some venereal diseases, ‘awa (Piper methysticum) was combined with wood shavings of ‘iliahi, nīoi (Eugenia reinwardtiana), ‘ahakea (Bobea spp.), and kauila (cf. Alphitonia ponderosa). And, to heal severe sores, ‘iliahi, manena (Melicope hawaiensis), and ‘ahakea shavings were combined with ‘awa, and ‘ōhi‘a ‘ai bark (Syzygium malaccense). Unfortunately, with so many other plant ingredients, it is difficult (impossible?) to verify that ‘iliahi was the active ingredient in these treatments.
Modern
ʻIIiahi and ʻiIiahialoʻe flowers, leaf-buds, and leaves are used in lei [McDonald & Weissich 2003], a likely ancient but unrecorded practice. The fragrant wood is valued for carving chests and other decorative boxes, furniture, and religious statues. The oil from the heartwood is used for cosmetics, perfumery, scented soaps, aromatherapy, and for medicinal purposes [Merlin et al. 2005].
Special Features and Information
General
There are about 1,000 species worldwide in the family Santalaceae [WikipediA;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. [Flora of the Hawaiian Islands].
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. By contrast, the native hulumoa (Korthalsella spp.), kaunaʻoa (Cuscuta sandwichiana), and kaunaʻoa pehu (Cassytha filiformis), appear to be fully parasitic, meaning they are completely dependent on another plant for nutrients.
ʻIliahi can and do hybridize with the East Indian, or white, sandalwood (Santalum album), an introduced species also grown in the Hawaiian Islands. [2]
Santalum paniculatum is closely related to S. ellipticum.
The Hawaiian Sandalwood Trade
(Our paraphrased summary of a more detailed account by Merlin & VanRavenswaay [1990].)
As with the other Hawaiian sandalwoods, ʻiliahialoʻe was 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 which they 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, were 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 a 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].
Etymology
Santalum comes from the Greek word santalon, which in turn is from the Arabic word sandal, for the Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) [Florabase].
The specific epithet paniculatum is derived from the Latin paniculatus, a botanical description for a branced-racemose or an inflorescence of a plant.
The varietal name pileri is named for Robert Knuds Friedrich Pilger (1876-1953), German agrostologist, traveller, botanical explorer, plant collector, and Director at Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Gardens.
Additional References
[1] "Traditional Trees of the Pacific Islands" by Craig R. Elevitch, pages 698, 699, 703, 710, 712.
[2] http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/HBS/botany/cultivatedplants/?pge=2&str=santalum&fld= [Accessed on 11/10/08]
[3] "Distribution and Status of Sandalwood i Hawaiʻi" by Lani Stemmermann. Presented at the Symposium on Sandalwood of the Pacific, April 9-11, 1990, Honolulu, Hawaii.
[4] http://www.k12.hi.us/~waianaeh/HawaiianStudies/index.html
[5] "A Hawaiian King Visits Hong Kong, 1881," Tin-Yuke Char, page 93; http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:ezbdf7pOkv4J:sunzi1.lib.hku.hk/hkjo/view/44/4401330.pdf+Sandalwood+Mountains+Tan+Heng+San&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=firefox-a [accessed 12/15/08]
[6] "Part II--Species Descriptions Santalum freycinetianum Gaudich." by James A. Allen, Paul Smiths College, Paul Smiths, NY, pages 705-706.
[7] "The History of Human Impact on the Genus Santalum in Hawaiʻi" by Mark Merlin and Dan VanRavenswaay. Presented at the Symposium on Sandalwood of the Pacific, April 9-11, 1990, Honolulu, Hawaii.
[8] "Nā Lei Makamae--The Treasured Lei" by Marie A. McDonald & Paul R. Weissich, pages XIV-XV, 28.
[9] "Taxonomic Revsion of the Endangered Hawaiian Red-Flowered Sandalwoods (Santalum) and Discovery of an Ancient Hybrid Species" by Danica T. Harbaugh et.al., pages 827, 829, 830, 831, 833-838.
[10] "Environment Hawaiʻi, Volume 21, Number 4, October 2010," pages 1, 7-10.
[11] "Contemporary Woodworkers" by Tiffany DeEtte Shafto & Lynda McDaniel, page 204.
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