Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Flowering Plants
Origin
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
North-Central United States, Central United States, Western United States, Texas
Types
Guaiacum officinale
Blue Toadflax, Old-Field Toadflax
Number of Varieties
330
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 10
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm61.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Pink, Light Blue, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Olive
Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Olive
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Oval to egg shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
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
Cuttings, Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs, 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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
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
use all-purpose fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Foliar disease, Root rot, Spider mites
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bumblebees
Allergy
Skin irritation
Depression, High blood cholestrol, Pain
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Analgesic, Febrifuge, Stomachic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap
Leaves, 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
Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
GUAIACUM sanctum
PENSTEMON grandiflorus
Common Name
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
Large Beardtongue, Shell-leaf Penstemon, Wild Snapdragon
In Hindi
Lignum Vitae
Wild Snapdragon
In German
Lignum Vitae
Wilde Snapdragon
In French
Lignum Vitae
Snapdragon sauvage
In Spanish
Palo santo
Salvaje Snapdragon
In Greek
Lignum Vitae
άγρια Snapdragon
In Portuguese
pau-santo
Selvagem Snapdragon
In Polish
Lignum Vitae
Dziki Snapdragon
In Latin
lignum Vitae
Phlox Ferae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Scrophulariales
Family
Zygophyllaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Genus
Guaiacum
Penstemon
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Scrophularioideae
Number of Species
340
1
27800
👆🏻