檀香屬常綠半寄生小喬木，原產南亞、東南亞至大洋洲。具寄生根，會寄入其它植物根部藉以吸收營養。樹皮褐色；小枝細長下垂，光滑無毛。對生卵狀橢圓形至卵狀披針形葉，全緣或呈波狀緣，背面粉白色。頂生或腋生的聚繖花序或圓錐花序；花初為橘黃色，後轉變為紅褐色。花期5~6月。核果球形，成熟時深紫紅色至紫黑色；種子卵形。果期7~9月。

An evergreen semi-parasitic small tree in the genus Santalum, native to South and Southeast Asia, and Oceania. With parasitic roots, the plant parasitises the roots of other plants to absorb nutrients. Bark brown; branchlets slender and drooping, smooth and glabrous. Opposite leaves shaped ovate elliptic to ovate-lanceolate, entire or wavy margin, pinkish white on the back. Terminal or axillary cymes or panicles; flowers orange-yellow at first, and later turning reddish brown. Flowering from May to June. Drupe spherical, dark purple-red to purple-black when mature; seeds ovate. Fruiting from July to September.

喜全日照，耐熱及耐旱，土壤排水要良好。檀香是半寄生性植物，必需要給予寄主植物以供它吸取營養。在臺灣常用黃荊、過山香、七里香等植物做為寄主，而後期就會獨立為自營生長。以種子或扦插繁殖。

The plant thrives in full sunlight and well-drained soils; tolerant to heat and drought. As a semi-parasitic plant, it requires a host to absorb nutrients. In Taiwan, they are firstly cultivated on a few host plants like Negundo Chastetree, Taiwan Wampee, Jasmine orange, etc. and later grow independently as an autotroph. Reproduced from seeds or cuttings.

可作庭園景觀樹。邊材白色，無氣味；心材黃褐色，有強烈香味，可做手工藝材料。木材富含精油，蒸餾後可得白檀油，供藥用，主治淋病。是貴重的藥材和名貴的香料。

A common garden ornament tree. The sapwood is white and odorless while the heartwood is yellow-brown and richly fragrant, which can be handicraft material. The wood is rich in essential oils which can be used as medicine to treat gonorrhea. It’s a valued medicinal material and precious spice.