Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Mediterranean, Turkey, Western Asia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Mountain silverbell , Rosea
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Floodplains, low mountains, Lower slopes, secondary forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
21,22
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm25.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Several shades of Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Acuminate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
-
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Layering, Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
occasional watering once established
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
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Prune grass to maintain level, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Pests and diseases free
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought and 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
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
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
Decoration Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
ORNITHOGALUM nutans
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem, Nodding Star-of-Bethlehem, Silver Bells
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Silver bells
In German
Lignum Vitae
Silver bells
In French
Lignum Vitae
Silver bells
In Spanish
Palo santo
Silver bells
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Silver bells
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Silver bells
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Silver bells
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Silver bells
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Ebenales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Asparagaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Halesia
Clade
-
Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
34
1
27800
👆🏻