Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Flowering Plants, Shrubs
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Madagascar
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Purple vinca, Vinca, cherry red, strawberry color
Number of Varieties
330
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
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
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm1.97 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm2.96 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Magenta, Pink, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
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
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Fall, Spring, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought, Pollution, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Does not require lot of watering, Medium
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Prune ocassionally
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Botrytis Blight, Canker, Crown rot, Pythium rot, Root rot
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
Intestinal gas, Nausea, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Chest pain, High blood pressure, Inflammation, Sore throat, Tooth ache, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Whole plant
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
Catharanthus roseus
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Madagascar periwinkle or rosy periwinkle
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Periwinkle
In German
Lignum Vitae
Immergrün
In French
Lignum Vitae
Pervenche
In Spanish
Palo santo
Bígaro
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
μυρτιά
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Mirta
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Barwinek
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Periwinkle
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Mollusca
Class
Magnoliopsida
Gastropoda
Order
Sapindales
Geraniales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Catharanthus
Clade
-
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
38
1
27800
👆🏻