Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Brazil
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Yellow Bloodleaf, Herbst's Bloodleaf, Standley's Bloodleaf
Number of Varieties
370
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1511-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm15.24 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm20.32 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Softwood cuttings, Stem Cutting, Tip cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Medium
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove branches that rub together, Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Balanced liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
Flowers
Showy
-
Flower Petal Number
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
Insects, Wildlife
Allergy
Skin irritation
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Indoor Air Purification, Provides ground cover
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
IRESINE herbstii
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Bloodleaf, Herbst's bloodleaf
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Bloodleaf Plant
In German
Lignum Vitae
Bloodleaf Pflanze
In French
Lignum Vitae
Feuillesang Plante
In Spanish
Palo santo
Planta Sangrienta
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Bloodleaf φυτών
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Bloodleaf Planta
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Bloodleaf roślin
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Planta Bloodleaf
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Caryophyllales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Amaranthaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Iresine
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Gomphreneae
Subfamily
-
Gomphrenoideae
Number of Species
370
1
27800
👆🏻