Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Shrub
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Southern Africa
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Number of Varieties
320
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Light Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Elliptic and Ovate
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
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Shade areas
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
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 if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Shade areas
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Skin irritation
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, 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
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
CARISSA macrocarpa
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Carissia
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Carissa
In German
Lignum Vitae
carissa
In French
Lignum Vitae
carissa
In Spanish
Palo santo
carissa
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
carissa
In Portuguese
pau-santo
carissa
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
carissa
In Latin
lignum Vitae
carissa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Gentianales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Carissa
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Carisseae
Subfamily
-
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
3100
1
27800
👆🏻