Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tree
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Latin America and the Caribbean, Central America, Micronesia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Hannah Yams, Japanese Sweet Potatoes
Number of Varieties
3400
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Cold Regions, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1511-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
21,22
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Purple, Light Green, Chartreuse, Bronze
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
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, 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
Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Stem Cutting, Tuber propagation
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs, Needs a lot of water initially
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, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial 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
Aphids, Beetles, Leafminers, 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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Aphids, Beetles, Mites, white worms
Allergy
Skin irritation
Abdominal pain, Skin rash, Swelling, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Leaves, Root, Shoots
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Food, 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
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Vine
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
IPOMOEA batatas
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Sweet Potato, Sweet Potato Vine
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
शकरकंद
In German
Lignum Vitae
Süßkartoffel
In French
Lignum Vitae
Patate douce
In Spanish
Palo santo
Batata
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Γλυκοπατάτα
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Batata doce
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Słodki ziemniak
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Dulcis SOLANUM TUBEROSUM
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Solanales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Convolvulaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Ipomoea
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3400
1
27800
👆🏻