Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Sedge or Rush
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Africa
Types
Guaiacum officinale
C. papyrus, C. papyrus 'Nanus
Number of Varieties
32
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Lakes, Shores of rivers or lakes, sluggish streams and rivers, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-157-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Green, Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Grass like
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
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs, Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly 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
fungus
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
-
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Flying insects, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cancer, Heals minor burns, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Stem
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Constructing Boats, Used as fuel, Used in paper industry
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
CYPERUS 'Wild Spike'
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Papyrus, Wild Spike Cyperus
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
पेपिरस संयंत्र
In German
Lignum Vitae
ägyptischen Papyrus-Pflanze
In French
Lignum Vitae
Papyrus égyptien
In Spanish
Palo santo
Papiro egipcio
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
αιγυπτιακό πάπυρο
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Papiro egípcio
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Papiro egipcio
In Latin
lignum Vitae
CHARTA
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Agaricomycetes
Order
Sapindales
Poales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Cyperaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Cyperus
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Cariceae
Subfamily
-
Cyperoideae
Number of Species
31
1
27800
👆🏻