Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Manihot esculenta, Euphorbia esula
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
-3
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, rocky banks of streams, Sandy stream banks
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-10
Sunset Zone
21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Gray Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Gray Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
Gray Green
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
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
Very 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
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Spores, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water frequently
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 branches, Remove dead leaves
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
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
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
allergic conjunctivitis, Toxic, Vomiting
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, soil stabilisation
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Laxative
-
Part of Plant Used
-
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Used to poison animals during hunting
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, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
EUPHORBIA virosa
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Gifboom
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
Gifboom
Lignum Vitae
In German
Namibische Giftwolfmilch
Lignum Vitae
In French
Euphorbia virosa
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
Euphorbia virosa
Palo santo
In Greek
Euphorbia virosa
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Euphorbia virosa
pau-santo
In Polish
Euphorbia virosa
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
Euphorbia virosa
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Angiosperms
Tracheophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malpighiales
Sapindales
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Euphorbia
Guaiacum
Clade
Eudicots
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Euphorbioideae
-
Number of Species
-3
1
27800
👆🏻