Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Southern Africa, South Africa
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Ornithogalum thyrsoides
Number of Varieties
325
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
marshes, Sandy flats, Slopes
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-157-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
10-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
21,22
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Orange, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Blue Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Several shades of Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Slow
-
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, 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, Winter, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Bulbs, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Keep ground moist, Reduce watering in winter, Water three times weekly in summer
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
Clay, 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
Prune to control growth, prune to control shape, Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Butterflies, Insects, pollinators
Allergy
Skin irritation
Skin irritation, Skin rash, Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cut Flowers, Showy Purposes, Used as an interior landscaping species, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Flowers
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for Landscaping
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
Ornithogalum thyrsoides
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Chincherinchee, Wonder-flower, Star-of-Bethlehem
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Chincherinchee
In German
Lignum Vitae
Kap-Milchstern
In French
Lignum Vitae
Chincherinchee
In Spanish
Palo santo
Chincherinchee
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Ornithogalum thyrsoides
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Chinkerinchee
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Chincherinchee,
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Chincherinchee
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Asparagales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Asparagaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Ornithogalum
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Ornithogaleae
Subfamily
-
Scilloideae
Number of Species
3180
1
27800
👆🏻