Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Canada
Types
Guaiacum officinale
-
Number of Varieties
32
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
gardens, Hardwood forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
7-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm12.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Light Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Butterfly shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Medium
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
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth
Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
Fertilize three times a year
No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Bees, Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cancer, Diuretic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Flowers, Root
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Feature Plant, Groundcover
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
JEFFERSONIA diphylla
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
-
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Twinleaf
In German
Lignum Vitae
Twinleaf
In French
Lignum Vitae
Twinleaf
In Spanish
Palo santo
Twinleaf
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Twinleaf
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Twinleaf
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Twinleaf
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Twinleaf
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Ranunculales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Berberidaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Jeffersonia
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
32
1
27800
👆🏻