Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Eastern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, Australia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Mareer, Manjak
Number of Varieties
315
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Saline Soils, Sandy areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm670.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White, Yellow, Gold, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Light Green, Chocolate
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
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
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
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Salt
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
Average Water Needs
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
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Remove damaged leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Root rot, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought and Salt
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
Dizziness, Throat itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Making cosmetics, used as a dye
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Absorbs greenhouse gases, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Acne, Aging, Hair Loss
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Making Shampoo, Showy Purposes, Used as Biofuel, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Edible, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
CORDIA subcordata
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Beach Cordia, Island Walnut, Kou, Sea Trumpet
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Cordia subcordata
In German
Lignum Vitae
Cordia subcordata
In French
Lignum Vitae
Cordia subcordata
In Spanish
Palo santo
Cordia subcordata
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Cordia subcordata
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Cordia subcordata
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Cordia subcordata
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Cordia subcordata
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Lamiales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Boraginaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Cordia
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
31
1
27800
👆🏻