Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Herbs
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Europe, Asia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Nepeta cataria
Number of Varieties
320
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Dry areas, Roadsides, stream banks, Stream side, Waste areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
7-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
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 cm980.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
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, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Dry soil
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water when soil is dry
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 if you want to improve plant shape, Prune in spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing, fertilize in growing season
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Caterpillars, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought, Frost
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
Flying insects, Insects, Spider Mites
Allergy
Skin irritation
Avoid during Pregnancy, Headache, Stomach pain, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Arthritis, Cold, constipation, Fever, Insomia, Migraines, Upset stomach
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Whole plant
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Air freshner, Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Making Perfumes, Making Shampoo, Making Sweet Scented Oil, Medicinal oil, 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
Container, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
NEPETA cataria
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Cat Nip, Catnip
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
कटनीप
In German
Lignum Vitae
Katzenminze
In French
Lignum Vitae
cataire
In Spanish
Palo santo
Catnip
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Είδος δυόσμου
In Portuguese
pau-santo
catnip
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Kocimiętka
In Latin
lignum Vitae
catnip
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Lamiales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Nepeta
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Mentheae
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
3250
1
27800
👆🏻