Wood is a very important part of the tree. It is a fibrous and porous part found in the stem and roots.
Wood is considered as the plant material that supports trees and helps the tree to stand for a long time in its place. Wood has been used by mankind for thousands of years.
It has been used for construction like building houses and furniture, making weapons, paper and tools etc. Now it is also used as cellulose.
Sandalwood and Cedarwood are the two types of woods.
Key Takeaways
- Sandalwood has a rich, sweet, and warm fragrance, whereas cedarwood has a woody, balsamic, and slightly sharp scent.
- Sandalwood oil is more expensive and rarer than cedarwood oil due to the slow growth and high demand for sandalwood trees.
- Both oils have various therapeutic properties, with sandalwood primarily used for relaxation and meditation and cedarwood for respiratory and skin-related issues.
Sandalwood vs Cedarwood
Sandalwood has a sweet, woody aroma and is used in perfumes and skincare products due to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Cedarwood has a strong, earthy scent and is used in aromatherapy and insect-repellent options for cedarwood-lined closets and storage containers.
Sandalwood is considered the most expensive wood in the world. Because its aroma and fragrance are different from other types of wood.
Sandalwood oil is extracted from it. Sandalwood tree has a unique fragrance that has been considered very valuable from the centuries.
Sandalwood is a hemiparasitic plant and is medium-sized. There are different varieties of Sandalwood like Australian Sandalwood, Indian Sandalwood etc.
Sandalwood is found in South Asian Countries like India, Hawaii, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and other Pacific Islands.
Cedarwood or simply referred to as cedar, is a type of coniferous tree. They are found in higher areas like in mountainous regions of the Mediterranean and Himalayas.
Cedar is found at an altitude of 1000 to 3000 metres. Cedar trees can grow very tall, from 30 metres to 60 metres sometimes.
Its wood is scented, and its bark is thick or square-shaped. The leaves of the Cedar tree are evergreen and has a needle-like structure.
Cedarwood is considered a decorative tree that is planted in many regions like the British Isles, New Zealand, Europe, Australia etc.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Sandalwood | Cedarwood |
|---|---|---|
| Genus | Santalum | Cedrus |
| Aroma | Woody, smoky, sweet, a mixture of floral, rich, and balsamic accents | Musky, balsamic and a camphoraceous odour. |
| Properties | Antiseptic, Antipyretic, Antiscabetic, and Diuretic. | Anti-fungal, antispasmodic, Anti-inflammatory, insecticidal etc. |
| Benefits | Heal the body, helps in calming stress, blood pressure etc, | Act as an insect repellant, anti-bacterial, clears the mind, enhances concentration etc. |
| Varieties | East Indian, Hawaiian and Australian. | Virginian, Texas, Himalayan, Atlas etc. |
What is Sandalwood?
Sandalwood is known for its distinctive quality i.e. fragrance that is long-lasting. Because of its unique scent, it is considered the most expensive wood.
For centuries, sandalwood has been used for aromatic and medicinal purposes. Its fragrance is sweet, smooth, creamy and milky.
Sandalwood is made into oils and perfumes that provides longevity to the other substance to which it is added.
Sandalwood is also used in floriental where it is mixed with other florals like plumeria, orange blossom, jasmine, ylang-ylang, gardenia, tuberose, etc.
Indian sandalwood is one of the varieties of Sandalwood that is very famous in the cosmetic industry. Sandalwood is traded illegally.
Santalum, a genus of Sandalwood, is available in 19 species. The components found in sandalwood are santalol which have two isomers.
Sandalwood is used for making soaps and in aromatherapy as well.
Sandalwood is also used for cooking purposes. Natives and aborigines used it for making pies, chutneys, pickles and jams.
Oil is extracted from sandalwood through the process called Distillation. In religion, Sandalwood is considered very important like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Sufism and East-Asian religions.
What is Cedarwood?
Cedarwood is a coniferous tree that is found in mountain areas. They are adaptive to both snow, summer, winter and rainfall.
Cedarwood trees are cultivated mostly in temperate regions and are used as decorative or ornamental trees. Cedarwood has a unique quality i.e. they are repellant to insects and moths.
That is why cedar oil is used for this purpose. In the chests, wardrobe or closets that are made up of wood, the lining of cedar is used to keep away moths.
Cedarwood has been used since ancient times. In the famous Book, The Illiad, there is mention of Cedar.
Even Lebanese people used to extract oil from cedarwood in the ancient period. Cedarwood is used to make shoe trees i.e. a type of device used for the measurement of shoes.
Cedar helps to absorb moisture and deodorize. The word ‘Cedrus’ is derived either from Latin or Greek language.
Varieties of Cedarwood are Cedar atlas that has a calming quality. Cedarwood atlas helps in the congestion and breathing process.
Cedarwood Himalayan is considered sacred because of its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Cedarwood, Texas, is known for bug repellant and combating headaches.
Cedarwood, Virginia, is used for joint and muscle pains.
Main Differences Between Sandalwood and Cedarwood
- Sandalwood belongs to the genus of Santalum. Cedarwood belongs to the genus of Cedrus.
- Sandalwood has a woody, smoky, sweet mixture of floral, rich, and balsamic aroma. Cedarwood has a Musky, balsamic and camphoraceous scent.
- Properties of Sandalwood are Antiseptic, Antipyretic, Antiscabetic, and Diuretic. Properties of Cedarwood are Anti-fungal, antispasmodic, Anti-inflammatory, insecticidal etc.
- The benefits of Sandalwood are healing the body, helping in calming stress, blood pressure etc. Benefits of Cedarwood are that it acts as an insect repellant, is anti-bacterial, clears the mind, enhances concentration etc.
- Varieties of Sandalwood are East Indian, Hawaiian and Australian. Varieties of Cedarwood are Virginian, Texas, Himalayan, Chinese, Atlas etc.
- http://op.niscair.res.in/index.php/JSIR/article/view/53011
- https://scholar.archive.org/work/bou4scv4ozg7hnylgyrmsqx2tu/access/ia_file/crossref-pre-1923-scholarly-works/10.1002%252Fjps.3080071020.zip/10.1002%252Fjps.3080090107.pdf
Last Updated : 15 July, 2023
I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️
Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
