Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
India, Nepal, China, Japan, Korea
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Cornus controversa
Number of Varieties
31
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Woodland Garden Canopy
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm1,070.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Burgundy, Dark Blue, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Light Yellow, Burgundy, Dark Red
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Requires regular watering during dry weather
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
-
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Bacterial leaf spot, Canker, Powdery 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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Used in parkland
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antiphlogistic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Oil used in the lubricating and soap industry
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
CORNUS controversa
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Giant Dogwood, Wedding Cake Tree
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Wedding Cake Tree
In German
Lignum Vitae
Hochzeitstorte Baum
In French
Lignum Vitae
Gâteau de mariage Arbre
In Spanish
Palo santo
Pastel de bodas del árbol
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Γαμήλια τούρτα Δέντρο
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Árvore do bolo de casamento
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Wedding Cake Drzewo
In Latin
lignum Vitae
MUSTACEUM ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Cornales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Cornaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Cornus
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Cornoideae
Number of Species
33
1
27800
👆🏻