Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Fruit
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Central America, South America
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Persea americana
Number of Varieties
350
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
9, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm910.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White, Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Purple, Gold, Black
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
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
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring, Winter, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
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
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full 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
Weevils
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
Oral Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antidepressant, Detoxification, Digestive, Improve heart health, osteoporosis
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Fruits
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Food for animals, Used as a nutritious food item, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
PERSEA americana 'Stewart'( Mexican Strain)
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Avocado, Mexican Avocado
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Mexican Avocado
In German
Lignum Vitae
Mexican Avocado
In French
Lignum Vitae
Mexican Avocado
In Spanish
Palo santo
Mexican Avocado
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Mexican Avocado
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Mexican Avocado
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Mexican Avocado
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Mexican Avocado
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Laurales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Lauraceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Persea
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
360
1
27800
👆🏻