Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
North America, South America, Brazil
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Peanut cactus
Number of Varieties
3128
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Desert, Sandy areas, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1512-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
12, 13, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Green, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
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, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
In Summer
Consistently
Average Water
In Spring
Average Water
Average Water
In Winter
Moderate
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
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
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
fertilize in growing season, fertilize in summer, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Mealybugs, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Hummingbirds
Allergy
Skin irritation
Skin cuts
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
ECHINOPSIS
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Hedgehog Cactus, Sea urchin cactus
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
हाथी कैक्टस
In German
Lignum Vitae
Igel Kaktus
In French
Lignum Vitae
hérisson cactus
In Spanish
Palo santo
cactus de erizo
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
In Portuguese
pau-santo
hedgehog cactus
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
jeż kaktus
In Latin
lignum Vitae
cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Caryophyllales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Echinopsis
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Trichocereeae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
32000
1
27800
👆🏻