Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tree
Origin
North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central America, South America
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Dragon Fruit Cactus
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
153
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
tropical environments, Tropical regions
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-10
Sunset Zone
10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
-
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
200.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Salmon
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
Lanceolate
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
-
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
-
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 Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought, Heat And Humidity, Salt, Shade areas, Wet Site
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Semi-hardwood cuttings, Stem Cutting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Water slowly, and allow to dry completely between soakings
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Consistently
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Less Watering
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
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Dispose of diseased portions, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
15-30-15 liquid fertilizer, Fertilzer with low nitrogen content
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial Stem Rot, Birds, Brown Rot
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought, Heat And Humidity, Salt, Shade areas, Wet Site
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
Bold
Fine
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
pollinators
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Anti-ageing, Good for skin, Making cosmetics
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, Antitumor, Diabetes, Healing, Nutritive, Skin wounds
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits, Seeds
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Cosmetics, Food for animals, Used as a nutritious food item, 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
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
Hylocereus undatus
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Pitahaya, Dragon Fruit
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
hylocereus
Lignum Vitae
In German
hylocereus
Lignum Vitae
In French
hylocereus
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
hylocereus
Palo santo
In Greek
hylocereus
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
hylocereus
pau-santo
In Polish
Hylocereus
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
Hylocereus
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Sapindales
Family
Cactaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Hylocereus
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
-
Tribe
Hylocereeae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
123
1
27800
👆🏻