Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
North America, Northeastern United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Ilex glabra, Ilex crenata, Ilex verticillata
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Coastal Regions, Lowland, Mountains, Subtropical climates, Suburban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Black
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, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early 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
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water more in summer, 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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Can be made into a herbal tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
ILEX glabra
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
American Pokeweed, Inkberry, Silberstein American Pokeweed
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Inkberry
In German
Lignum Vitae
Inkberry
In French
Lignum Vitae
Inkberry
In Spanish
Palo santo
Inkberry
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Inkberry
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Inkberry
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
inkberry
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Inkberry
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Sapindales
Aquifoliales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Phytolaccaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Ilex
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3600
1
27800
👆🏻