Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Melanesia, Australia
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Umbrella plant
Amate
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
10003
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Homesteads, Roadsides, Tropical regions, Woods
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
460.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Pink
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Purple
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Purple
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water occasionally
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Consistently
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Moderate
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Coarse
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Dermititis
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Arthritis, Asthma, Headache, Rheumatoid arthritis, Stomach pain
-
Part of Plant Used
Root
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
SCHEFFLERA actinophylla
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Octopus Tree
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
ऑक्टोपस पेड़
Lignum Vitae
In German
Octopus tree
Lignum Vitae
In French
arbre Octopus
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
árbol pulpo
Palo santo
In Greek
χταπόδι δέντρο
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Octopus árvore
pau-santo
In Polish
Ośmiornica drzewo
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
polypus ligno
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Apiales
Sapindales
Family
Araliaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Schefflera
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Aralioideae
-
Number of Species
153
1
27800
👆🏻