Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
North America, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Canada
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
-
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
13
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Deciduous forests, Forest margins
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-810-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
H1, H2
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,830.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
2,130.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Gold, Light Green, Light Yellow, White
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Green, Sienna, Chocolate
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Yellow green, Gold
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Toothed
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut back all stems to the same height, Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
14-14-14 Fertilizer, Compost, General purpose liquid or granular fertilizer
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Chestnut Blight
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Salt
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Deers
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
conjunctivitis, Vomiting
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Arthritis, Cough, Sore throat, Swelling
-
Part of Plant Used
Sap, Wood
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Decorative veneers, flooring, paneling, Used in Furniture, Used in pulpwood and lumber production
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
CASTANEA dentata
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
American Chestnut
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
अमेरिकी शाहबलूत
Lignum Vitae
In German
Amerikanische Kastanie
Lignum Vitae
In French
Châtaignier d'Amérique
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
Castanea dentata
Palo santo
In Greek
american καστανιάς
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
castanea americana
pau-santo
In Polish
Kasztan amerykański
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
English castaneis
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Sapindales
Family
Fagaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Castanea
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
83
1
27800
👆🏻