Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Tree
Origin
Madagascar
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Bismarckia nobilis
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
13
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical climates, tropical environments
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, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
152.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Yellow
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Chocolate
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Blue Green, Silver, Gray
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Silver, Gray
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Silver, Gray
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
Silver, Gray
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Costapalmate
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
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Larva, Palmetto weevil
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
Bold
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Oral Cancers
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antidepressant
-
Part of Plant Used
Nut
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Chewing
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
BISMARCKIA nobilis
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Bismarck Palm
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
Bismarck Palm
Lignum Vitae
In German
Bismarck Palm
Lignum Vitae
In French
Bismarck Palm
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
Bismarck Palm
Palo santo
In Greek
Bismarck Palm
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Bismarck Palm
pau-santo
In Polish
Bismarck Palm
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
Bismarck Palm
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Monocotyledonae
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arecales
Sapindales
Family
Arecaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Bismarckia
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
-
Tribe
Borasseae
-
Subfamily
Coryphoideae
-
Number of Species
13
1
27800
👆🏻