Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Tree
Origin
Mexico
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Chamaedorea cataractarum, Chamaedorea elegans
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
153
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
River side, Stream side
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1310-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-8
12-10
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
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
Green, Dark Green
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Never 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
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove old, faded fronds
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
Showy
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
Coarse
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Birds, Spider Mites
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bouquets, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
-
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
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, Foundation, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
CHAMAEDOREA cataractarum
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Cataract Palm, Cascade Palm
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
कैट पाम
Lignum Vitae
In German
Cat Palm
Lignum Vitae
In French
Cat Palm
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
gato de Palm
Palo santo
In Greek
γάτα Palm
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Cat palma
pau-santo
In Polish
kot Palm
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
Cat Palm
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arecales
Sapindales
Family
Arecaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Abelia
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
33
1
27800
👆🏻