Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Canary Islands
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Lotus berthelotii
Number of Varieties
34
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Mediterranean region, mild coastal areas, shaded fields, Shaded sites, Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, 9, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Prostrate/Trailing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Red, Gold, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Gray Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Gray Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Gray Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Spine-edged leaves
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
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, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Water Deeply, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases, Water more frequently during periods of extreme drought
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
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, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Aphids, Blight, Fusarium root rot, Mealybugs, Mites, Powdery mildew, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought, Full Sun, Heat And Humidity
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Aphids, Mealybugs, Mites, Spider Mites
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Borders, Formal Garden, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
-
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
LOTUS berthelotii
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Parrot's Beak
Winged Pea
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Parrot's Beak
In German
Lignum Vitae
Papageienschnabel
In French
Lignum Vitae
Le Bec de perroquet
In Spanish
Palo santo
Pico de loro
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Ράμφος παπαγάλου
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Bico do Papagaio
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Dziób papugi
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Parrot rostri
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Streptophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Sapindales
Fabales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Lotus
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Loteae
Subfamily
-
Faboideae
Number of Species
3150
1
27800
👆🏻