How to Grow Red Sandalwood (Pterocarpus santalinus) and Key Points to Note (Potted)

SummaryGrowing environment: a tropical plant that loves sunlight and fears low temperatures; the potting soil must not become waterlogged, and in midsummer it needs to be placed in a semi-shaded environment. Watering: not drought-tolerant, water once every 2-3 days, soaking thoroughly each time. Fertilizing: does not need frequent fertilizing; excessive fertilizing can damage the root system. Placement: do not frequently move its position. Pest and disease control: prone to anthracnose and black spot disease, which need to be controlled promptly with the relevant chemicals.

I. Growing Environment

1. Red sandalwood (Pterocarpus santalinus) is a tropical plant that likes sunlight and fears low temperatures.

2. The growing temperature for red sandalwood is generally 20°C-30°C. If it is in a heated environment in winter, red sandalwood can also put out new leaves.

3. Red sandalwood needs moist potting soil, but the potting soil must not become waterlogged; waterlogging easily causes the old leaves to drop, but it also must not be too dry.

4. In spring, summer and autumn, it can be placed outdoors for care; in midsummer in the north it needs a semi-shaded environment.

II. Moderate Watering

1. Red sandalwood is a tropical plant, and tropical plants have relatively high water requirements, so it is not very drought-tolerant.

2. Red sandalwood needs to be watered once every 2-3 days.

3. Watering also takes skill; it is not simply a matter of pouring water over the whole pot at once. Do not water at noon when the sunlight is at its most intense, as this easily causes the plant's moisture to evaporate under high temperature, and if this happens too often it can cause the plant to wither and die.

4. Also note that watering must be thorough; do not just moisten the surface of the soil.

III. Reasonable Fertilizing

1. Red sandalwood's own parasitic roots have a nitrogen-fixing function, so red sandalwood does not need frequent fertilizing.

2. For fertilizing red sandalwood, generally you only need to drip plant nutrient solution into water, mix it evenly and pour it on the soil once every 1-2 months.

3. For potted plants, appropriate nutrient soil should be added to the soil. If there is too much nutrient soil, once the plant has grown stable and its roots have penetrated deep into the soil, large-scale disturbance of the soil will harm the plant's root system, and burying a large amount of nutrient soil will make the soil too fertile and burn the roots, causing damage to the plant's root system.

IV. Fixed Placement

Red sandalwood itself has the ability to adapt to its environment, so once it has become accustomed to one environment, do not frequently move it, so as to avoid increasing the growing burden on the red sandalwood.

V. Pest Control

Red sandalwood seedlings are prone to anthracnose and black spot disease in the early stages. If they become diseased, a 1:100 Bordeaux mixture can be used for control.

VI. Benefits of Growing Red Sandalwood

1. Red sandalwood usually releases a substance called “wood oxygen”; the fragrance it gives off can calm the mind and also speed up the body's metabolism.

2. If you often wear and handle ornaments such as bracelets and hand pieces made from red sandalwood, it is very beneficial to our daily health care.

3. From the Buddhist perspective, sandalwood itself wards off evil, so people who believe in Buddhism grow red sandalwood in order to keep their family safe.