Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
Southwestern United States
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Baccharis sarothroides
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
103
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
riparian zones, Semi desert, Upland
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1010-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
H1, H2
Habit
Spreading
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
creamy white
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblanceolate , Ovate
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Dry soil, Heat Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut back old stems to the ground, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
can go long without fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Heat And Humidity
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
Fine
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Ground Cover, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-inflammatory, Anti-oxidant, cholesterol-lowering
-
Part of Plant Used
Twigs
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Groundcover
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
BACCHARIS 'Centennial'
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
desert broom , broom baccharis , greasewood
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
desert broom
Lignum Vitae
In German
Wüste Besen
Lignum Vitae
In French
desert broom
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
escoba del desierto
Palo santo
In Greek
desert broom
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
vassoura do deserto
pau-santo
In Polish
desert broom
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
desert broom
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Sapindales
Family
Asteraceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Baccharis
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
-
Tribe
Astereae
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
83
1
27800
👆🏻