Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Shrub
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Southwestern United States
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Baccharis sarothroides
Number of Varieties
310
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
riparian zones, Semi desert, Upland
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
creamy white
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Oblanceolate , Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Slow
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
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Dry soil, Heat Tolerance
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Needs very little water
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
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Cut back old stems to the ground, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Pests and diseases free
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Heat And Humidity
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Ground Cover, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
anti-inflammatory, Anti-oxidant, cholesterol-lowering
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Twigs
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Can be made into a herbal tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Groundcover
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
BACCHARIS 'Centennial'
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
desert broom , broom baccharis , greasewood
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
desert broom
In German
Lignum Vitae
Wüste Besen
In French
Lignum Vitae
desert broom
In Spanish
Palo santo
escoba del desierto
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
desert broom
In Portuguese
pau-santo
vassoura do deserto
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
desert broom
In Latin
lignum Vitae
desert broom
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Asterales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Baccharis
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Astereae
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
38
1
27800
👆🏻