Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tree
Origin
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Echinocactus parryi, Echinocactus texensis
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
503
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Gravels, Sandy areas
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-10
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Magenta
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow
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
Succulent
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
fertilize in summer, Potassium
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Spider mites
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas
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
Bold
Fine
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Insects, Mealybugs, Spider Mites
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Skin cuts
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Very little waste
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
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, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
ECHINOCACTUS
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Golden barrel cactus, Golden ball
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
echinocactus
Lignum Vitae
In German
echinocactus
Lignum Vitae
In French
echinocactus
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
echinocactus
Palo santo
In Greek
Echinocactus
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Echinocactus
pau-santo
In Polish
Echinocactus
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
Echinocactus
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Sapindales
Family
Cactaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Echinocactus
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
-
Tribe
Cacteae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
113
1
27800
👆🏻