Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Tree
Origin
Mediterranean, Western Asia
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Brown Turkey Fig, Texas Everbearing Fig, Celeste Fig
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-1010-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-6
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
300.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
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
Fast
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Early Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Needs watering once a week, Requires watering in the growing season
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, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in fall, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in fall, fertilize in winter
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Coarse
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Eye irritation
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Glowing Skin, Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for birds, Food for insects, Shadow Tree, Windbreak
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-cancer, Demulcent, Digestive, Emollient, Galactogogue, Laxative, Pectoral, Stomachic, Tonic
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Wood
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Garland, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for woodware
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, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
FICUS carica 'Black Mission'
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Black Mission Fig, Fig
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
Black Mission Fig Tree
Lignum Vitae
In German
Schwarz Mission Fig Tree
Lignum Vitae
In French
Noir Mission Fig Tree
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
Negro Misión de la Higuera
Palo santo
In Greek
Μαύρο Αποστολή Fig Tree
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Black Tree Fig Missão
pau-santo
In Polish
Czarny Mission Fig Tree
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
Niger Mission ficum
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Rosales
Sapindales
Family
Moraceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Ficus
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
Ficeae
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
13
1
27800
👆🏻