Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Tree
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
-
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Abbotswood potentilla, Daydawn potentilla, Klondike potentilla
Number of Varieties
325
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Clay soil areas, Rocky areas, Wet ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-8
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
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm91.44 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm91.44 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Orange, Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Small elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Early Fall, Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
-
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Slightly Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
-
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Late Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs, Needs watering once a week, Water less during winter, Water more in summer, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
-
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune in early spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
-
-
Foliage Texture
Fine
-
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
Avoid during Pregnancy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin cleanser, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Prevent Soil Erosion, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antibiotic, Astringent, Diarrhea, Haemostatic, Hypoglycaemic, Mildly painful menstruation, Odontalgic, Premenstrual syndrome, Swelling
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Flowers, Root
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Cosmetics, Showy Purposes, Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
-
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
POTENTILLA
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Potentilla
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Potentilla plant
In German
Lignum Vitae
Potentilla Pflanze
In French
Lignum Vitae
plante Potentilla
In Spanish
Palo santo
planta Potentilla
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
φυτό potentilla
In Portuguese
pau-santo
planta Potentilla
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Potentilla roślin
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Potentilla herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Vascular plant
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Rosales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Rosaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Potentilla
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Rosoideae
Number of Species
3300
1
27800
👆🏻