Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Flowering Plants
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Southwestern United States, California
Types
Guaiacum officinale
-
Number of Varieties
340
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Dry areas, meadows
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm61.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
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
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Oblong
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Hummingbirds
Allergy
Skin irritation
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Whole plant
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
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
PENSTEMON eatonii
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Firecracker Penstemon
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Firecracker penstemon
In German
Lignum Vitae
Kracher penstemon
In French
Lignum Vitae
Firecracker penstemon
In Spanish
Palo santo
Penstemon del petardo
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Penstemon do foguete
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
petarda penstemon
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Firecracker Persicaria
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Sapindales
Lamiales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Penstemon
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3250
1
27800
👆🏻