Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Flowering Plants, Herbs, Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
China, Eastern Asia, Japan
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Platycodon grandiflorus Astra series, Platycodon grandiflorus Fuji series, Platycodon grandiflorus 'Komachi', Platycodon grandiflorus 'Sentimental Blue'
Number of Varieties
313
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Grassland, Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
8-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm20.30 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White, Blue, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Cushion
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings, Seperation
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Prune in spring, Prune in summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Slugs, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Skin irritation
Asthma, Skin rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
anti-allergy, Antibacterial, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, Asthma, Bronchitis, chest congestion, Cold, Cough, Diabetes, improved insulin resistance, Sore throat, Tonsillitis, tuberculosis
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Whole plant
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
PLATYCODON grandiflorus( Apoyama Group)
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Balloon Flower
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Balloon flower
In German
Lignum Vitae
Ballonblume
In French
Lignum Vitae
balloon Flower
In Spanish
Palo santo
globo de planta de flor
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
μπαλόνι εργοστάσιο λουλούδι
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Balão flor planta
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Balon kwiat roślin
In Latin
lignum Vitae
balloon flos plant
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Embryophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Dicotyledonae
Order
Sapindales
Asterales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Campanulaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Platycodon
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
350
1
27800
👆🏻