Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Grass
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Middle Africa
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Perennial Grass
Number of Varieties
315
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-157-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12 - 1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 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 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Very Fast
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
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Budding, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Requires regular watering, Water more 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
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Insects, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Flying insects
Allergy
Skin irritation
Asthma, breathing problems
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Food for animals, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Food for animals, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Elephant Grass
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
हाथी घास
In German
Lignum Vitae
Elefantengras
In French
Lignum Vitae
l'herbe à éléphant
In Spanish
Palo santo
pasto elefante
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
ελέφαντα χόρτο
In Portuguese
pau-santo
capim-elefante
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
trawa słoniowa
In Latin
lignum Vitae
elephanti herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Poales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Pennisetum
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Paniceae
Subfamily
-
Panicoideae
Number of Species
31
1
27800
👆🏻