Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tree
Shrub
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Crossandra, Firecracker Plant
Number of Varieties
350
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
gardens, Homesteads, Urban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
10-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm40.60 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Orange, Light Yellow, Peach, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Ovate
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
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
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
Form a Soil ring to water efficiently, Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water more in summer
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
No pruning needed in the early stages, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Insects
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cold, Cough, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Flowers
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
CROSSANDRA infundibuliformis
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Firecracker Flower
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
आबोली
In German
Lignum Vitae
Kracher-Blume
In French
Lignum Vitae
Firecracker fleur
In Spanish
Palo santo
flor petardo
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
πυροτέχνημα λουλούδι
In Portuguese
pau-santo
flor foguete
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
petarda kwiat
In Latin
lignum Vitae
flos Firecracker
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Sapindales
Lamiales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Acanthaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Crossandra
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Brodiaeoideae
Number of Species
35
1
27800
👆🏻