Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Brazil
Types
Guaiacum officinale
-
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Coastal Mountains, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White, Red, Orange, Pink, Salmon
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Pink
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
Toothed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
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
Fall, Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Semi-Double
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
Eye irritation, sneezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Christmas Tree, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Hanging Basket, Houseplant, Tropical
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
SCHLUMBERGERA truncata
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
False Christmas Cactus
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
False Christmas Cactus
In German
Lignum Vitae
False Christmas Cactus
In French
Lignum Vitae
Cactus de Noël
In Spanish
Palo santo
cactus de navidad
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
False Christmas Cactus
In Portuguese
pau-santo
flor de maio
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Szlumbergera ucięta
In Latin
lignum Vitae
False Christmas Cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Caryophyllales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Schlumbergera
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Rhipsalideae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
31
1
27800
👆🏻