Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
United States, Central United States
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Deciduous Tree
Number of Varieties
3334
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Woodland Garden Canopy
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
8-4
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm1,830.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Yellow green, Chartreuse
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Chocolate
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Yellow, Tan, Brown
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
oblong or obovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Pollution, 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 during dry weather
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
Phosphorous
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Anthracnose, Sunken patches
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
Skin irritation
Severe allergen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antiseptic, Astringent, Emetic, Febrifuge, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Seeds
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Roasted seed is used as a coffee substitute, Used as a thickening in stews, Wood is used for making furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Feature Plant, Hedges, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
QUERCUS imbricaria
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Shingle Oak
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Shingle Oak
In German
Lignum Vitae
Kies Eiche
In French
Lignum Vitae
Shingle Oak
In Spanish
Palo santo
teja de madera de roble
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
βότσαλα Oak
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Shingle Oak
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
gont Oak
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Quercus imbricaria
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Fagales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Fagaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Quercus
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Fagoideae
Number of Species
38
1
27800
👆🏻