Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Sedge or Rush
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
World/Pandemic, North America, Europe, Russia/Siberia, Africa, Asia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
austrocalifornicus , effusus , laxus , pacificus , solutus
Number of Varieties
35
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
All sorts of environments, Banks, ditches, marshes, Shores of rivers or lakes
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-156-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9-6
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm45.70 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm61.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Green, Tan, Sandy Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Long hair-like leaves
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, reseeds
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Does not require 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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Prune to control 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
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bumblebees, Flying insects
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Informal Hedge, Woodland margins
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
-
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
woven into the covering of tatami mats
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Bog Garden, Container, Mixed Border, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
JUNCUS effusus
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Soft Rush
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Soft Rush
In German
Lignum Vitae
Soft Rush
In French
Lignum Vitae
Soft Rush
In Spanish
Palo santo
Soft Rush
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Soft Rush
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Soft Rush
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Soft Rush
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Soft Rush
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Poales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Juncaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Juncus
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3400
1
27800
👆🏻