Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Shrub
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Europe, Northern Africa, Asia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Shrub
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Roadsides
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm10.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Red, Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Yellow, Red, Green, Orange
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Lobed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
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, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Pollution, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Borders, Showy Purposes, small hedge
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Blood tonic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Basketary, Used as a dye, Used for making hedge
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
COTONEASTER
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
cotoneaster
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
cotoneaster
In German
Lignum Vitae
Zwergmispel
In French
Lignum Vitae
cotonéaster
In Spanish
Palo santo
Cotoneaster
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Cotoneaster
In Portuguese
pau-santo
cotoneaster
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
irga
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Cornus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Rosales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Rosaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Cotoneaster
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Maleae
Subfamily
-
Amygdaloideae
Number of Species
3200
1
27800
👆🏻