Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Purple Orchid Tree, White Orchid Tree, Bidi leaf tree
Number of Varieties
320
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Forests, Mountain Slopes, Valley
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm17.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Light Pink, Magenta, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Butterfly shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water Deeply
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
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Red blotch
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Carminative, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Buds, Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Fibre, Gum, Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
BAUHINIA purpurea
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Butterfly Tree, Orchid Tree
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Butterfly tree
In German
Lignum Vitae
Schmetterlings- Baum
In French
Lignum Vitae
arbre de papillon
In Spanish
Palo santo
árbol de la mariposa
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
δέντρο πεταλούδα
In Portuguese
pau-santo
árvore borboleta
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
drzewo Butterfly
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Gloria ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Fabales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Bauhinia
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Cercideae
Subfamily
-
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
3500
1
27800
👆🏻