Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Northeastern United States, North-Central United States
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Sugar Maple, Norway Maple, Red Maple
Number of Varieties
315
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
bottomlands, Forests, Moist Soils
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
8-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm3,779.52 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm1,219.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Yellow green, Chartreuse
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Yellow, Red, Orange
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Toothed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
-
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Birds
Allergy
Skin irritation
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Sap, Tree trunks
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Edible syrup, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
ACER nigrum
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Black Maple
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Black Maple Tree
In German
Lignum Vitae
Schwarz Ahorn
In French
Lignum Vitae
Noir Érable
In Spanish
Palo santo
Negro del árbol de arce
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Μαύρο Maple Tree
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Árvore de bordo preto
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Czarny klon
In Latin
lignum Vitae
White Acer ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Sapindales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Aceraceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Acer
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Areceae
Subfamily
-
Hippocastanoideae
Number of Species
310
1
27800
👆🏻