Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Canada
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Red chokeberry, Purple chokeberry
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Anthropogenic, Boggy areas, Cliffs, Fens, Swamps, Terrestrial, Wet lands, Woodlands
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-810-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7
H1, H2
Habit
Thicket/Colonizing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
182.88 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
182.88 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purplish-black
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Divison, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, 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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune after flowering, Remove branches that rub together, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove diseased branches by the tool's blades dipped into the alcohol solution
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
10-10-10, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
-
Drought, Salt
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
-
Fine
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Anaphylaxis
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for birds, Wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-cancer, Antioxidants, Cold
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Pectin
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Foundation, Mixed Border
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
ARONIA melanocarpa
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Black Chokeberry
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
Black Chokeberry Shrub
Lignum Vitae
In German
Schwarz Aronia Strauch
Lignum Vitae
In French
Noir Chokeberry Arbuste
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
Chokeberry negro Arbusto
Palo santo
In Greek
Μαύρο Chokeberry θάμνων
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Chokeberry preto Arbusto
pau-santo
In Polish
Krzew aronii
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
Lichen Frutex
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Rosales
Sapindales
Family
Rosaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Aronia
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
Maleae
-
Subfamily
Amygdaloideae
-
Number of Species
33
1
27800
👆🏻