Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Ratibida columnifera
Number of Varieties
325
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
10-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 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
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Subulate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
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
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
Rhinitis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Borders
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Analgesic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Flowers
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
RATIBIDA columnifera
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Mexican Hat
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Mexican Hat
In German
Lignum Vitae
Mexican Hat
In French
Lignum Vitae
Mexican Hat
In Spanish
Palo santo
mexican Hat
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Mexican Hat
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Mexican Hat
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Mexican Hat
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Mexicanus Hat
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Asterales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Ratibida
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
314
1
27800
👆🏻