Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, Western United States, Northwestern United States, Alaska, Canada
Types
Guaiacum officinale
-
Number of Varieties
32
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Forest margins, Thickets
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm430.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Yellow, Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Do Not over Water, Keep ground moist
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
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, for fruiting plants, use high phosphorous content fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Bacterial leaf spot, Cane Spot, fungus, Powdery mildew, Viruses
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
-
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for birds, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cold, Fever
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Whole plant
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, 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
Screening / Wind Break
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
Sambucus racemosa
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Red Elderberry, Red-berried Elderberry
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Red Elderberry
In German
Lignum Vitae
Rote Holunder
In French
Lignum Vitae
Red sureau
In Spanish
Palo santo
La baya del saúco roja
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
κόκκινο Elderberry
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Red Elderberry
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Red Elderberry
In Latin
lignum Vitae
pubens
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Dipsacales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Caprifoliaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Sambucus
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
37
1
27800
👆🏻