Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Tree
Herbs
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean, Turkey, Western Asia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Herb
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
A2, A3, 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
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm50.80 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Brown, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Compound
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full 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
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Light Frost, Shade areas, Variety of soil types
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
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
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
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Prune after flowering, Remove dead flowers
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
Self-fertile
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Leafhoppers, Root Pathogen, Stem rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Light Frost, Shade areas, Variety of soil types
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
Bugs
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Appetite enhancer, Bloating, Digestion problems, Digestive, Heartburn, Menstrual Cramps, Stomach spasms
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Leaves, Root, Seeds
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Medicinal oil, Used As Food, Used in flavouring curries, teas
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
CARUM carvi
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Caraway, meridian fennel, Persian cumin
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
शाहजीरा
In German
Lignum Vitae
Kümmel
In French
Lignum Vitae
carvi
In Spanish
Palo santo
alcaravea
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
κύμινο
In Portuguese
pau-santo
alcaravia
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
kminek
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Caraway
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Apiales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Apiaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Carum
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
320
1
27800
👆🏻