Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
World, Pandemic, North America, Europe, Africa, Asia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
-
Number of Varieties
330
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Bluffs, Sandy stream banks, Wooded slopes
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
10-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm10.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White, Purple, Lavender, Blue Violet
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
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Medium
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
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Medium, Requires watering in the growing season
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
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
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Insects
Allergy
Skin irritation
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Liver problems, Skin Disorders, Treatment of ulcers
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Employed in herbal medicine, Used as a spice
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
IRIS cristata
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Crested Iris
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
कलगी आइरिस
In German
Lignum Vitae
Crested Iris
In French
Lignum Vitae
Crested Iris
In Spanish
Palo santo
Crested Iris
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Crested Iris
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Crested Iris
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Czubaty Iris
In Latin
lignum Vitae
iubatum Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Asparagales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Iris
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
3210
1
27800
👆🏻