Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Europe, Western Asia
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Salix caprea pendula
Number of Varieties
32
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Hedge, Woodland Garden Canopy
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Yellow, Silver
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Oblong
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
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Requires consistently moist soil
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
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
Use nitrogen rich soil
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Blight, Canker, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Borers, Caterpillar, Lacebugs
Allergy
Skin irritation
Severe allergen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Bonsai, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Anodyne, Aphrodisiac, Astringent, Febrifuge, Ophthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Inner Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Basketary, Used as a cereal in making bread, porridge, used for making charcoal, Used to make leather
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
SALIX caprea 'Kilmarnock'
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Pussy Willow, Weeping Pussy Willow
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Weeping Pussy Willow
In German
Lignum Vitae
Weinend Salweide
In French
Lignum Vitae
Weeping Willow Pussy
In Spanish
Palo santo
Llorando sauce de gatito
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
Κλάμα Μουνί Willow
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Chorando Borrazeira
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Płacząca Pussy Willow
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Pussy flentes salices
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Salicales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Salicaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Salix
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3400
1
27800
👆🏻