Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Caribbean, Central America, South America, Brazil
Types
Guaiacum officinale
-
Number of Varieties
3-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Subtropical climates, subtropical regions
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
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm550.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Ivory, Gray
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Magenta, Violet
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
Cuneate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Wet Site, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Does not require regular watering
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
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
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
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
Asthma
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
Wood
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used for woodware, Wood is used for making furniture
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
TRIPLARIS americana
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Ant Stick, Macaw, St. Mary's Stick
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Macaw
In German
Lignum Vitae
Ara
In French
Lignum Vitae
ara
In Spanish
Palo santo
guacamayo
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
μακώ
In Portuguese
pau-santo
arara
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
ara
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Ara
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Caryophyllales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Polygonaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Triplaris
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3-
1
27800
👆🏻