Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Aralia spinosa
Number of Varieties
31
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden Secondary
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, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Thicket/Colonizing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm460.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White, Green, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Yellow, Green, Purple, Blue Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
bipinnate
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
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
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Needs high amount of 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, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Aphids, Leaf spot, Mealybugs
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
Skin irritation
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Borders, Woodland margins
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Alterative, Analgesic, Diaphoretic, Opthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Bark, Leaves, Root
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used as a potherb
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
ARALIA spinosa
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
American Angelica Tree, Devil's Walking Stick, Hercules' Club
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Devil's Walking Stick
In German
Lignum Vitae
Teufelsspazierstock
In French
Lignum Vitae
Walking bâton du diable
In Spanish
Palo santo
Bastón del Diablo
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Περπάτημα Stick διαβόλου
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Vara andando de diabo
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Diabelski laska
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Virgam diaboli
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Apiales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Araliaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Aralia
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Aralioideae
Number of Species
330
1
27800
👆🏻