Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Fruit
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Mediterranean, Western Asia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Brown Turkey Fig, Texas Everbearing Fig, Celeste Fig
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-156-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9-6
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 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 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Irregular
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
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Needs watering once a week, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Prune in fall, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in fall, fertilize in winter
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Skin irritation
Eye irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Glowing Skin, Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for birds, Food for insects, Shadow Tree, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
anti-cancer, Demulcent, Digestive, Emollient, Galactogogue, Laxative, Pectoral, Stomachic, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Fruits, Leaves, Wood
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Garland, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for woodware
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
FICUS carica 'Black Mission'
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Black Mission Fig, Fig
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Black Mission Fig Tree
In German
Lignum Vitae
Schwarz Mission Fig Tree
In French
Lignum Vitae
Noir Mission Fig Tree
In Spanish
Palo santo
Negro Misión de la Higuera
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Μαύρο Αποστολή Fig Tree
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Black Tree Fig Missão
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Czarny Mission Fig Tree
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Niger Mission ficum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Sapindales
Rosales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Moraceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Ficus
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Ficeae
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
31
1
27800
👆🏻