Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Fruit
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Europe, Central Asia, Western Asia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
-
Number of Varieties
315
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Fertile bottom land, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
8-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
-
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Green, Purple
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Palmately Lobed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged
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
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
10-10-10 diluted liquid fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Aphids, Earwigs, Insects, Mildew, Red blotch, Rust, sawflies
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Cold climate
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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, Eczema, Food Allergy, Hives
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Potassium, Rich in Iron, Vitamin B, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Traditional medicine, Used as a nutritious food item, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
RIBES nigrum
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Black Currant
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Black Currant
In German
Lignum Vitae
Black Currant
In French
Lignum Vitae
groseille noire
In Spanish
Palo santo
negro Grosella
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
μαύρη σταφίδα
In Portuguese
pau-santo
groselha-preta
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
czarna porzeczka
In Latin
lignum Vitae
nigrum currants
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Rosales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Grossulariaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Ribes
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3150
1
27800
👆🏻