Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Palm or Cycad
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Madagascar
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Hyophorbe verschaffeltii
Number of Varieties
310
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Islands, limestone outcrops, Terrestrial
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm240.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Orange, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
feather-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs
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
Loam, Sand
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
Asthma, Rhinitis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Decorating walls, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Aging, Malaria, Metabolic disorders
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Fruits, Leaves, Tree trunks
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Biodiesel, Wax
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Tropical
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
HYOPHORBE verschaffeltii
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Spindle Palm
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Spindle Palm
In German
Lignum Vitae
Spindelpalme
In French
Lignum Vitae
Palmiste marron
In Spanish
Palo santo
Hyophorbe verschaffeltii
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Spindle Palm
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Spindle Palm
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Hyophorbe verschaffeltii
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Spindle Palm
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Arecales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Arecaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Hyophorbe
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3170
1
27800
👆🏻