Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Mexico, Central America
Types
Guaiacum officinale
CUCURBITA argyrosperma 'Green Striped Cushaw'
CUCURBITA argyrosperma 'Campeche'
CUCURBITA argyrosperma 'Survivor'
Number of Varieties
34
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
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
Prostrate/Trailing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm240.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Yellow, Orange, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
White, Green, Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Dark Green, Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Reniform
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
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
Do Not over Water
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
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Alternaria Leaf Spot, Aphids, Armyworm, Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Cabbage looper, Cutworms, Red blotch, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought, Humidity, Moisture
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Beetles, Caterpillar, Cutworms
Allergy
Skin irritation
Cough, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Vermifuge
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Flowers, Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
For making oil
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
CUCURBITA argyrosperma
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Squash
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Squash
In German
Lignum Vitae
Squash
In French
Lignum Vitae
Squash
In Spanish
Palo santo
calabacín
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
σκουός
In Portuguese
pau-santo
abóbora
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
kabaczek
In Latin
lignum Vitae
cucurbita
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Cucurbitales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Cucurbita
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
320
1
27800
👆🏻