Life Span
Perennial
Annual or Biennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Mexico, Central America
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Mexican potato,Mexican yam bean
Number of Varieties
3-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
agricultural areas, Moist Soils, Wet ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm50.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Green, Tan
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
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Dry soil, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
From bulbs
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Keep ground moist
In Summer
Consistently
Average Water
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Moderate
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
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
Beetles, Leaf spot, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Shade areas, Shallow 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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Butterflies, Mice
Allergy
Skin irritation
Irritation to stomach, Itchiness
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Improve skin tone
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Soil protection
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cold, Fever, Inflammation
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Bulbs, Root
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
PACHYRHIZUS erosus
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Mexican Yam bean
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Pachyrhizus erosus
In German
Lignum Vitae
Yambohne
In French
Lignum Vitae
Kłębian kątowaty
In Spanish
Palo santo
Pachyrhizus erosus
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Pachyrhizus erosus
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Pachyrhizus erosus
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Pachyrhizus erosus
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Pachyrhizus erosus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Sapindales
Fabales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Pachyrhizus
Clade
-
Angiosperms
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3100
1
27800
👆🏻