Aquilaria sinensis

White wood incense requires full exposure to sunlight, thriving best in conditions where it receives more than 6 hours of sunlight daily. It's crucial to ensure that these plants are placed in locations within your garden or home that receive ample sunlight, mirroring the intense illumination of their native environments for optimal growth. It's important to monitor the movement of sunlight through your garden to find spots that offer a harmonious balance of light and shade, catering to the happiness and health of your plants.

When natural sunlight is not sufficient, especially during winter or in areas of your home that receive less sunlight, artificial lighting becomes essential for the health and growth of White wood incense. Indoor plants benefit significantly from artificial lights, which can promote faster and healthier growth. LED lights are particularly recommended due to their ability to emulate specific wavelengths of light needed by plants. For plants requiring full sun, 30-50W/sq ft of artificial light is needed, 20-30W/sq ft for partial sun plants, and 10-20W/sq ft for full shade plants. The light source should be placed 12-36 inches above the plant, ensuring it receives 8-12 hours of light daily to mimic natural daylight hours.

White wood incense displays several symptoms when it's not receiving enough light, indicative of its distress. These symptoms include smaller new leaves, leggy or sparse growth, faster leaf drop, halted growth, lighter-colored new leaves, and chlorosis - a condition leading to yellowing leaves due to inadequate chlorophyll. Symptoms of overexposure to sunlight include sunscald, leaf curling to reduce surface area exposure, wilting due to water loss, and leaf scorching, which manifests as brown, dry edges on the leaves.

To optimize the growth of White wood incense, gradually transitioning the plant to sunnier spots is critical, aiming for at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. For indoor plants, especially those too large to move easily, supplementing with artificial light for a minimum of 8 hours a day can be beneficial. For outdoor adjustments, a gradual relocation process is recommended to prevent sunburn. Additionally, reducing obstructions like overhanging branches can improve sunlight exposure. If required, transplanting smaller plants during their dormant period to sunnier locations with good drainage may also foster healthier growth.

White wood incense, or Aquilaria sinensis, thrives in temperatures ranging from 68 to 100.4 °F (20 to 38 °C), favoring warm conditions. It's crucial to adjust care slightly according to seasonal changes. During winter, maintaining temperatures above 20°C is beneficial for the plant's growth, while temperatures nearing 5°C or lower are harmful.

In the autumn, as this plant is extremely heat-loving, White wood incense grown outdoors should be brought indoors to protect it from cold temperatures. It should be placed near a bright window, ensuring it is not too close to heaters to avoid harm. During winter, keeping the plant in temperatures above 20°C is key for its wellbeing.

White wood incense is not tolerant of low temperatures and shows signs of distress when the temperature falls below 20°C. Symptoms of cold damage include leaves lightening in color and, following frost, turning brown or black, with wilting and drooping. If such damage occurs, trim the frost-damaged parts and move the plant to a warm environment indoors, ideally near a south-facing window while avoiding placing it near heaters or air conditioners to prevent the air from becoming too dry.

During the summer, temperatures above 38°C can cause issues for White wood incense plants, making them susceptible to sunburn if exposed to temperatures over 43°C, indicated by a lightening of the leaves' color. To mitigate this, trim any sunburned or dried parts, and relocate the plant to a shaded area during the harshest midday and afternoon sun. It's also beneficial to water the plant in the morning and evening to maintain soil moisture.