Life Span
Biennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Tree
Origin
South Africa
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Alexandria cycad, Encephalartos caffer, Encephalartos concinnus
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
663
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Riverbanks, Rocky areas, Scrubs
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1210-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
290.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
240.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, 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
Pinnate
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
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
Early Summer, Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
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, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove crossing or rubbing branches, 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 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
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
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Shadow Tree, Windbreak
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds, Stem
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
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, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
ENCEPHALARTOS altensteinii
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Bread Tree, Prickly Cycad
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
Bread Tree
Lignum Vitae
In German
Brotbaum
Lignum Vitae
In French
Bread Arbre
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
Árbol del pan
Palo santo
In Greek
ψωμί Δέντρο
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Árvore de pão
pau-santo
In Polish
chleb Drzewo
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
panis ligno
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Equisetopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cycadales
Sapindales
Family
Cycadaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Encephalartos
Guaiacum
Clade
-
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
663
1
27800
👆🏻