Red Sandalwood 50 g – African Padauk from Cameroon

This incense wood, known as Red Sandalwood, comes from Cameroon and consists of cut African padauk wood (Pterocarpus soyauxii). Its natural reddish-orange to deep red colour explains the traditional trade name, but botanically it is not true sandalwood.

Pterocarpus soyauxii is a tree species native to West and Central Africa. Its natural range includes Cameroon, Gabon, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and parts of the Congo Basin. The intensely coloured heartwood was also formerly used as a natural dye wood. In Cameroon, the name Mbel is among the traditional names recorded for this species.

Red Sandalwood or African Padauk?

The name “Red Sandalwood” can easily cause confusion. The wood offered here is African padauk (Pterocarpus soyauxii) and not the red sandalwood Pterocarpus santalinus known from South Asia. It also differs significantly from white sandalwood (Santalum album), which belongs to a different botanical genus and has a characteristically soft, creamy sandalwood aroma.

Fragrance and Use for Incense Burning

When burned as incense, the cut padauk wood releases a dry, woody and slightly earthy fragrance. Its aroma is more subtle and less creamy than that of white sandalwood. This makes it particularly suitable as a discreet woody base for incense blends with resins, herbs and other aromatic woods.

The wood pieces can be placed in small amounts on their own or together with incense resins on incense charcoal. For blends, they can be further crushed or ground if required.

Traditional Uses of the Wood

African padauk has long been used in various ways in its region of origin. The intensely red heartwood was traditionally used, among other purposes, as a dye wood and, because of its hardness and durability, is also used for furniture, carvings and other wooden objects. These diverse uses should be distinguished from its present use as an incense wood.

• Botanical name: Pterocarpus soyauxii
• Trade name: Red Sandalwood / African Padauk
• Origin: Cameroon
• Form: cut natural wood
• Use: for incense burning, on its own or in incense blends
• Net weight: 50 g