Why Red Sandalwood Is Endemic to the Eastern Ghats
This tree grows naturally in only a small pocket of the world. That endemism is the root of both its scarcity and its cultivation logic.
Published 2025-09-03, Updated 2026-07-08, By Shree Editorial Desk
Quick answerRed sandalwood (Pterocarpus santalinus) is endemic to a restricted belt of the southern Eastern Ghats, chiefly the Seshachalam, Veligonda, Lankamala and Palakonda hills of Andhra Pradesh. "Endemic" means it grows naturally nowhere else, and that narrow range is the deep reason for both its scarcity and the pressure it has faced from illegal logging. It also explains the logic of where plantations are sited: cultivation works best in districts whose soils and climate mirror this natural home. This article explains the species’ range and why it matters to investors.
A naturally tiny range
Pterocarpus santalinus occurs naturally only in a small part of the southern Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh. This is genuine endemism, the species did not evolve to grow across India, let alone the world.
Why endemism drives scarcity
A small natural range means limited wild supply.
Combined with slow growth, that scarcity underpins the timber’s value.
It also explains the historic pressure of illegal logging on wild stands.
What it means for cultivation
Because the species is adapted to this specific region’s red soils and semi-arid climate, plantations do best in districts that match those conditions, which is why serious projects cluster in the natural belt rather than anywhere convenient.
The bigger picture
Legal cultivated supply is, in part, a response to the pressure endemism and scarcity put on wild trees. See about the species and our sustainability article for the wider context.
SH
Shree Editorial Desk
Shree Properties & Projects, editorial
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