Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Brewster, Mauritius, Hak ip
Number of Varieties
330
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm910.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm1,070.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Light Yellow, Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Red, Magenta
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Red, Dark Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Dark Green
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, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Slow
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 Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
High
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Twice a week
In Winter
Moderate
Regular watering required
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
Prune after harvesting, Prune lower leaves, Prune to control growth
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize after blooming period
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Aphids, fungus, Leaf curl
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
-
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
Itchiness
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
-
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
anti-allergy, Bone strength, Digestive disorders, Heart problems
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Fruits
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Edible, Feature Plant, Foundation, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Shade Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
LITCHI chinensis
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Litchee, Litchi, Lychee
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
लीची
In German
Lignum Vitae
Lychee
In French
Lignum Vitae
Lychee
In Spanish
Palo santo
Lychee
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
λίτσι
In Portuguese
pau-santo
lichia
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Lychee
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Lychee
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Sapindales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Sapindaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Litchi Sonn
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Sapindoideae
Number of Species
33
1
27800
👆🏻