Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
North America, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Herbaceous perennial
Number of Varieties
340
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Lakes, Pastures, Prairies, Roadsides, Swamps, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm61.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Red, Crimson, Dark Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, 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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
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
Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Headache, Rheumatism, Stomach pain
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Medicinal oil, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Bog Garden, Mixed Border, Water Gardens, Wildflower
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
LOBELIA cardinalis
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Cardinal Flower
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Cardinal Flower
In German
Lignum Vitae
Cardinal Flower
In French
Lignum Vitae
Cardinal Flower
In Spanish
Palo santo
Cardinal Flower
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Καρδινάλιος λουλούδι
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Cardinal Flower
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Cardinal Flower
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Cardinalis Flower
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Asterales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Lobeliaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Lobelia
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Lobelioideae
Number of Species
356
1
27800
👆🏻