Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Guaiacum officinale
tourist tree, turpentine tree, chaca
Number of Varieties
31
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Riverbanks, Sandy stream banks, Tropical rainforest
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 13, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Twisted/Contorted
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm760.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Crimson, Copper
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Compound
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
Summer, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
occasional watering once established
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
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
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
Birds, Butterflies, Deers, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Skin irritation
allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Bonsai
Beauty Benefits
-
Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics, Removes pimples
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Aging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Headache
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Application in Furniture, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
BURSERA simaruba
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree, Turpentine Tree
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Bursera simaruba
In German
Lignum Vitae
Bursera simaruba
In French
Lignum Vitae
Bursera simaruba
In Spanish
Palo santo
Bursera simaruba
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Bursera simaruba
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Bursera simaruba
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Bursera simaruba
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Bursera simaruba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Sapindales
Sapindales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Burseraceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Bursera
Clade
-
Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
310
1
27800
👆🏻