Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Grass
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
North America, United States, Western United States, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Grasses
Number of Varieties
31
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Dry areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9 - 5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm45.70 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White hair and some brown spots on margins and at tips
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Pollution, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Medium
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, 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
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Beetles, Grasshoppers
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Erosion control
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cuts
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used to feed livestock
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
BOUTELOUA gracilis
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Blue Grama Grass, Mosquito Grass
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Bouteloua gracilis
In German
Lignum Vitae
Bouteloua Gracilis
In French
Lignum Vitae
Bouteloua aristidoides
In Spanish
Palo santo
Chondrosum gracile
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Bouteloua gracilis
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Bouteloua Gracilis
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Bouteloua Gracilis
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Bouteloua Gracilis
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Cyperales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Bouteloua
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Cynodonteae
Subfamily
-
Chloridoideae
Number of Species
3100
1
27800
👆🏻