| Latin Name : | Amyris balsamifera |
| English Name : | Amyris |
| French Name : | Amyris baumier |
| Family : | Rutaceae |
| Origin : | Haiti |
History and Origin
The Amyris (also called West Indian sandalwood or sandalwood amyris) is a small tree of about 5 meter in height of the Caribbean and the West Indies. It is a small bushy tree of the Rutaceae family. Its wood is white with gray bark and its white flowers are very fragrant. Be careful not to confuse it with Santalum album (White Sandalwood) from India and belonging to the Santalaceae family. People from Haiti call it "candlewood" because the essential oil contained in its wood allows it to burn for a long time.