Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, India, China, Japan, Australia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Oenanthe javanica, Helosciadium nodiflorum
Number of Varieties
32
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Bog Garden, Cultivated Beds, Ponds
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White
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
simple-pinnate or double-pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, Layering, Seedlings, stem tip cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Needs Very high moisture
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
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Aphids, Armyworm, Bacterial Blight, Damping off, Downy mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Flies, Insects
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Bog Garden, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Depurative, Febrifuge, Styptic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Leaves, Root, Seeds
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used as a seasoning in soups, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
OENANTHE javanica
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Java Water Dropwort, Water Celery, Water Parsley
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Water Celery
In German
Lignum Vitae
Wasser Sellerie
In French
Lignum Vitae
Céleri d'eau
In Spanish
Palo santo
El apio agua
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Σέλινο νερό
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Aipo água
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Seler Woda
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Aqua Apium
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Apiales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Apiaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Oenanthe
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Oenantheae
Subfamily
-
Apioideae
Number of Species
31
1
27800
👆🏻