Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tree
Origin
North America, Northeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Sporobolus heterolepis
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
153
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hay fields
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-810-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10 - 2
12-10
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17
H1, H2
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
50.80 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Green, Purple, Light Green
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Orange, Gold
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Bronze
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
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
Fine
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Ground Cover, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
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, Edging, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
SPOROBOLUS heterolepis
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Prairie Dropseed
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
prairie dropseed
Lignum Vitae
In German
Prärie Dropseed
Lignum Vitae
In French
prairie dropseed
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
dropseed pradera
Palo santo
In Greek
λιβάδι dropseed
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
pradaria dropseed
pau-santo
In Polish
łąka dropseed
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
PRATUM grama
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Sapindales
Family
Poaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Sporobolus
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
103
1
27800
👆🏻