Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Mediterranean
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
California bay leaf, Indian bay leaf or malabathrum, Indonesian bay leaf
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
13
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forest edges, Hillside
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Pyramidal
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
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
Spring
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
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
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in summer, Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove shoots
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
Insignificant
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
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Asthma
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-allergy, Arthritis, Bronchitis, Headache, Muscle Pain, Pain killer
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Cosmetics, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used As Food
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, Foundation, Hedges, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
LAURUS nobilis
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Bay Laurel, Sweet Bay
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
bay laurel
Lignum Vitae
In German
Lorbeer
Lignum Vitae
In French
laurier
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
laurel
Palo santo
In Greek
δάφνη
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
louro
pau-santo
In Polish
wawrzynu
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
sinus laurus
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Tracheophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Laurales
Sapindales
Family
Lauraceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Laurus
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
33
1
27800
👆🏻