Life Span
Perennial
Biennial or Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Europe
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Leaf beet, Seakettle beet, Spinach beet
Number of Varieties
36
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-8
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
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Red, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Dark Green, Green, Orange, Red, White, Yellow
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
-
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
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
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
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Consistently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
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
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Cercospora leaf spot, Damping off, Darkling beetles, Downy mildew
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
Insects
Allergy
Skin irritation
dark circles, Diarrhea, Runny nose, Vomiting, wheezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
Moisturizing, Remove blemishes, Slow downs aging, Speed hair growth
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antitumor, Carminative, Haemostatic, Stomachic, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Leaves, Root
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Cultivated for fodder, Eaten as a pot herb, Used to make juice
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
BETA vulgaris ssp. cicla
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Swiss Chard
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Swiss Chard
In German
Lignum Vitae
Swiss Chard
In French
Lignum Vitae
Chard suisse
In Spanish
Palo santo
Acelgas
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Σέσκουλο
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Acelga suíça
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Boćwina
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Swiss Chard
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Caryophyllales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Chenopodiaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Beta
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Cyclolobeae
Subfamily
-
Betoideae
Number of Species
33
1
27800
👆🏻