Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Asia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
-
Number of Varieties
320
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
open Woodlands, Roadsides, Waste areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm2,540.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm2,540.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
-
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
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
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
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove hanging branches
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
Compost, fertilize in spring, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Aphids, Borers, Mealybugs, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
-
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
Throat itching
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Good for skin and hair, Improve hair condition, Improve skin condition
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Digestion problems, High blood pressure, Improve heart health, Inflammation, Lung Problems, Nutrients, Oral health
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Employed in herbal medicine, Used As Food, 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
Feature Plant, Foundation, Fruit / Fruit Tree
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
PRUNUS cerasifera
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Cherry Plum, Myrobalan Plum
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
चेरी प्लम
In German
Lignum Vitae
cherry Plum
In French
Lignum Vitae
Prunus
In Spanish
Palo santo
cherry Plum
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Cherry Plum
In Portuguese
pau-santo
cherry Plum
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Cherry Plum
In Latin
lignum Vitae
cerasus PRUNUM
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Rosales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Rosaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Prunus
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Amygdaleae
Subfamily
-
Amygdaloideae
Number of Species
3200
1
27800
👆🏻