Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tree
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Europe, Northern Europe, Western Europe, United Kingdom
Types
Guaiacum officinale
M. v. brevipetala
M. v. collina
M. v. frozen
M. v. grandiflora
M. v. paui
M. v. verna
M. v. japonica
Number of Varieties
37
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
gardens, Grassland, Prairies, Suburban areas, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
8-1
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
Mat-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm7.60 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm20.30 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White
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
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Tiny
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, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Keep ground moist, Never Over-water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water more in summer
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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
Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Fungal Diseases
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Burns, Thyroid problems, tuberculosis
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Alpine, Container, Edging, Groundcover, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
MINUARTIA verna
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Irish Moss
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
आयरिश काई
In German
Lignum Vitae
Irish Moss
In French
Lignum Vitae
Irish Moss
In Spanish
Palo santo
musgo de irlanda
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Irish Moss
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Moss irlandês
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
mech irlandzki
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Irish Moss
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Sapindales
Caryophyllales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Caryophyllaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Minuartia
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
350
1
27800
👆🏻