Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Southwestern United States, Texas, Mexico
Types
Guaiacum officinale
-
Number of Varieties
325
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White, Yellow, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Olive, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Fall, Late Fall, Early Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Salt, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Budding, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs, Do not water frequently, Prefer drip-irrigation instead of Over-head watering
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K, Phosphorous
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought, Dry Conditions
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Borders, Cottage Garden, Used in parkland
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cough, Rheumatism
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
CORDIA boissieri
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Anacahuita, Texas Olive
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Anacahuita
In German
Lignum Vitae
Anacahuita
In French
Lignum Vitae
anacahuita
In Spanish
Palo santo
anacahuita
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Anacahuita
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Anacahuita
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Anacahuita
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Anacahuita
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Boraginales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Boraginaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Cordia
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3300
1
27800
👆🏻