Red Sandalwood -- going, going, GONE.

I don't know about Canada, but for the US, short answer: it depends on what plant, whether it's listed as "Endangered" or "Threatened", how many fees you're willing to pay and how many application forms you're willing to fill out.  Long answer: start here - www.aphis.usda.gov and work your way through.

For those wanting to "grow their own", it looks like planting to earliest profitable harvest is 30 years.  

ETA: Another site is claiming they can get a profitable return in 13 years.  Either way, patience will be a virtue.

Well, we know we're talking about Red Sandalwood and Padauk (the "Blood Rosewoods") right now, CanonicalKnight. 

Both are endangered, but I wonder how this might possibly be barrier; as I mentioned earlier, by logicale, I would think that helping an endangered seed propogate would encourage importation of seeds from foreign lands. (Other issues as foreign disease aside) But of course, there's a whole lot more that I need to learn, and logicales don't always rightfully determine things.

Thanks for the info. I should look this stuff up.

If they are endangered, the seeds would have to be certified as coming from cultivated sources.  Ugh, I can't get through on the site at the moment to get you a link, but Google "USDA small lots seeds" and that should give you a good idea of the regs and the paperwork involved.

I'm a Master Gardener, but haven't ever really had any questions about importing tree seeds.  Most often, it's plants like rare cacti and, most often, roses.

CanonicalKnight, nevermind me. Look what I delightfully found on Ebay -

Now, the question is how to cultivate them.

(As I stated earlier, I'm probably way over my head with this. However,) I'd like to raise an orchard of "Chess" trees, both exotic and USA domestic, e. g. American Holly, Padauk, Red Sandalwood, Brazilian Rosewood, Boxwood, Ebony, Lignum Vitae, Bloodwood, Yellowheart, Purple Heart, European Hornbeam and Swiss Pearwood; or a number of combinations of these. My biggest roadblock, however, is that some of these trees may not be able to harmoniously co-exist with one another. xD (I'm guessing that the aridness at an altitude of  400 meters which is required to raise Red Sandalwood decently won't be compatible with the African Ebony or our domestic American Holly.)  

edit - Let me add to the list: Madagascar Violet Rosewood ("Bois de Rose"), Tulipwood and Blue Mahoe.

How about a Santa Claus set (with elves as pawns) made out of Christmas trees?

xD Funny that American HOLLY doesn't produce those colors. Just an alabaster white; with grey knots.

Of course, I can combine olive "Lignum Vitae" with crimson Bloodwood, and ya got yourself a Happy Chanukah right there.

Battlechess,

Did you get your set or that extra big fitted coffer yet? Any pics?

I received the pieces, Norvik, but no, I haven't been able to get my pieces fitted in a coffer yet. Either my local craftsman is actually sick like he says he is (sketchy) or he's scamming me and taking advantage of the fact that my young naive ass did the most idiotic thing of paying him full before he actually performed the service (likely). =\

At the moment, I don't know when I'll be receiving this chessbox...

.

Battle, I see where you put a period at the end of your commentary.

lol It was actually a redundant post: I simply posted that I received me 50 Red Sandalwood seeds. "Does that sound encouraging to you (Lou)?" was what I said. I realized, then, when I posted the ebay screen shot of the vendor selling the seeds, it was already implied that I was going to receive the seeds eventually, so the comment wasn't necessary anymore. :D

Now, what's the next step....find a piece of nutrient-poor land on the hills or the mountains that's more than 400 meters above sea level that is at least semi arid and on the warmer climate...

That's all I was saying. Now, to learn what the process of buying land is like.

Battle, I'm glad to see that you're following in the footsteps of some of our nation's illustrious folk heroes. First, you'll be Johnny Appleseed, and later, Paul Bunyan.

God willing and the creek don't rise, I'm might still be around for your first harvest.

Well, I thank you for your commendation and support, Lou. You're the first to ever uphold me as a hero, and it feels really warm and tingly inside. 

*hugs*

Insignificant sidenote-

But hey, Lou, I've been meaning to tell you this: Red Sandalwood is actually lesser of my concerns in rare woods, especially after I've been doing some light reading on another chess wood. If we really want to gain material from a species that is currently legally off-limits to the protective electric fence, we should look at Madagascar Violet Rosewood ("Bois de Rose"), or Dalbergia Maritima/Louvelii. This very pretty blue-fuschia-violet-purple chess wood is threatened to go extinct if those illegal importers don't cut it the hell out!

It's my wanting this precious wood but sympathizing with it's vulnerability that makes me seek out its seeds, the same that I did with Red Sanders. Now, unfortunately, I wasn't able to find Dalbergia Maritima seeds on neither ebay nor B & T World Seeds, so this species is going to pose a bigger challenge than what Santalinus would. =\

If only I can ask vendors that sell these wood where they got their wood....So far, the one that I inquired does not know where their "Bois de Rose" lumbers come from....

Battle, good luck with your "seedy" endeavors!

Lol Thanks, you.

Of course, I'm not concerned about abundant USA Domestic woods like American Holly, Manzanita and Madrone. 

On a side note, I learned that there are some loose similarities between the favilrable environment of Red Sandalwood and that of Manzanita: both of them survive on drought, only requiring water every once a month, and love nutrients poor soil. (It's astonishing to me how the former gets to be so big with little water and little nutrients....I wonder if these factors make up their red heartwood....)