Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Caribbean, Central America, South America
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Alaskan blueberry, Lowbush blueberry, New Jersey blueberry
Number of Varieties
320
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Dappled Shade, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 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 cm243.84 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm60.96 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Dark Blue, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Prune in early spring, Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Ammonia sulphate, In Late summer, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Potassium sulphate
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
-
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Skin irritation
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin and hair, Speed hair growth, Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Astringent, Pectoral
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Fruits
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used in making tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
SYMPLOCOS martinicensis
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Blue Berry, Horse Sugar, Martinique Sweetleaf, Whitewood
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Blue Berry Tree
In German
Lignum Vitae
Blue Berry Baum
In French
Lignum Vitae
Bleu Berry Tree
In Spanish
Palo santo
Árbol de la baya azul
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Μπλε δέντρο μούρων
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Árvore Berry Azul
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Niebieski Berry Drzewo
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Berry lignum blue
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Ebenales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Symplocaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Symplocos
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3300
1
27800
👆🏻