Life Span
Annual or Biennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Mexican potato,Mexican yam bean
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
-3
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Moist Soils, Wet ground
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
50.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Lavender
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Tan
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
Heart-shaped
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry soil, Shallow soil
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
From bulbs
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Average Water
Consistently
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Moderate
Moderate
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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
Beetles, Leaf spot, Red blotch
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas, Shallow soil
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
Coarse
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Mice
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Irritation to stomach, Itchiness
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Improve skin tone
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Soil protection
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cold, Fever, Inflammation
-
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Root
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Used As Food
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
PACHYRHIZUS erosus
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Mexican Yam bean
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
Pachyrhizus erosus
Lignum Vitae
In German
Yambohne
Lignum Vitae
In French
Kłębian kątowaty
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
Pachyrhizus erosus
Palo santo
In Greek
Pachyrhizus erosus
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Pachyrhizus erosus
pau-santo
In Polish
Pachyrhizus erosus
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
Pachyrhizus erosus
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Angiosperms
Tracheophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Sapindales
Family
Fabaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Pachyrhizus
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1003
1
27800
👆🏻