Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Herbaceous Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Asia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Bowl of Beauty, Laura Dessert
Number of Varieties
3700
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
A1, A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm76.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White, Light Yellow, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Bronze
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Green, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring
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
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Water during periods of drought
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
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well 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
High phosphorus
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Blight, Leaf spot, Stem spot, Viruses
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Double
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Ants, Insects
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Heals cracked skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Analgesic, Anodyne, Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Astringent, Carminative, Diuretic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Eaten in a broth, Powdered and mixed with tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
PAEONIA lactiflora 'Laura Dessert'
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Garden Peony, Chinese Peony
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Garden Peony
In German
Lignum Vitae
Garten -Pfingstrose
In French
Lignum Vitae
Jardin Pivoine
In Spanish
Palo santo
Jardín Peony
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Κήπος Παιώνια
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Garden Peony
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Garden Peony
In Latin
lignum Vitae
AGLAOPHOTIS paradiso
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Dilleniales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Paeoniaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Paeonia
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
340
1
27800
👆🏻