Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Southern Europe, Mediterranean
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Erysimum franciscanum
Number of Varieties
350
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
gardens, Grassland, Prairies
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-157-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Mat-forming
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
Pale White, Pale Yellow, Yellow, Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Linear
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
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
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
Cut or pinch the stems, Do not prune during shooting season, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune prior to new growth, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
fungus, Insects, Red blotch
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Whole plant
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Alpine, Container, Edging, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
Erysimum franciscanum
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Franciscan wallflower, San Francisco wallflower
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Franciscan wallflower
In German
Lignum Vitae
Franziskaner Mauerblümchen
In French
Lignum Vitae
wallflower franciscaine
In Spanish
Palo santo
alhelí franciscana
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Φραγκισκανών wallflower
In Portuguese
pau-santo
wallflower Franciscan
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
wallflower Franciszkanów
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Francisci Wallflower
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Brassicales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Brassicaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Erysimum
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
350
1
27800
👆🏻