Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Fruit
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Southern Asia, India, Melanesia, Australia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis
Number of Varieties
31
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 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 cm370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White, Purple
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Yellow
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
Oval
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring, Winter, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Budding, Cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Keep the Soil well drained, 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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, 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, Remove branches, Remove branches that rub together, Remove crossing or rubbing branches, 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 spring, fertilize in summer, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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, Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Respiratory Disorders, Soothing and relieving pain
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Making Perfumes, Traditional medicine, 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
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Shade Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
CITRUS medica var. sarcodactylis
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Buddha's Hand, Fingered Citron
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Buddha's Hand
Tree
In German
Lignum Vitae
Buddhas Hand
Baum
In French
Lignum Vitae
Main de Bouddha
Arbre
In Spanish
Palo santo
Mano de Buda
Árbol
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Χέρι του Βούδα
Δέντρο
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Mão de Buda
Árvore
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Ręka Buddy
Drzewo
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Buddha manus
Arbor
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Sapindales
Sapindales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Rutaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Citrus
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
31
1
27800
👆🏻