Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
-
Types
Guaiacum officinale
-
Number of Varieties
350
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
meadows, Wet ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm40.60 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Pink, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
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
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, In Water
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Do not let dry out between waterings, It cannot sustain wet-feet, Requires a lot of watering, Water Deeply
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Ample Water
In Winter
Moderate
Lots of watering
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
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Prune in spring, Prune in summer
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
Do not let fertilizers touch the leaves, Don't use high pH fertilizers, fertilize in spring
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
-
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
Diarrhea, Intestinal gas
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
-
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antibiotic, Astringent, Diarrhea
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Leaves, Root
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Cosmetics
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
LYTHRUM 'Happy'
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Loosetrife
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Loosetrife
In German
Lignum Vitae
Loosetrife
In French
Lignum Vitae
salicaire
In Spanish
Palo santo
loosetrife
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
loosetrife
In Portuguese
pau-santo
loosetrife
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
loosetrife
In Latin
lignum Vitae
loosetrife
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Anthophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Myrtales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Lythraceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Lythrum
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3150
1
27800
👆🏻