Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Shrub
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Eastern Asia, Malaysia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Number of Varieties
3150
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
gardens, Subtropical climates, tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1511-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
-
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Bushy, Evergreen
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Red, Green, Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Damp
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Requires a lot of watering
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Ample Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Damp
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
cut main flower spike, Cut or pinch the stems
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
Full-strength liquid fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Downy mildew, Red blotch, Stem rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Wet Site
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes, Used for making hedges
Beauty Benefits
-
Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Provides ground cover, Soil protection, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Asthma, Glaucoma, High blood pressure, Liver Protection, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Coleus, Painted nettle
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Coleus
In German
Lignum Vitae
Buntnessel
In French
Lignum Vitae
Vieux garçon
In Spanish
Palo santo
coleo
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Coleus
In Portuguese
pau-santo
cóleus
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Coleus
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Coleus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Lamiales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Coleus
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3150
1
27800
👆🏻