Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen, Grass
Tree
Origin
Mexico
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Otatea acuminata ssp. acuminata, Otatea acuminata ssp. aztecorum, Otatea acuminata 'Dwarf'
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
203
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical climates, tropical environments
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1210-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10 - 7
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Weeping
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm370.00 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, Yellow green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Yellow green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Yellow green
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long linear and narrow
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Never Over-water
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Consistently
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Moderate
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune every year, Prune to control growth, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Requires high amount of nitrogen
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Mealybugs
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Salt
Flowers
-
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Mealybugs
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Windbreak
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
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, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
OTATEA acuminata
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Clumping Bamboo, Mexican Weeping Bamboo
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
मैक्सिकन बांस
Lignum Vitae
In German
Mexican Bambus
Lignum Vitae
In French
Bamboo mexicaine
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
bambú mexicana
Palo santo
In Greek
Μεξικού μπαμπού
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Bamboo Mexican
pau-santo
In Polish
Mexican Bamboo
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
Mexicanus Bamboo
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Tracheophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Sapindales
Family
Poaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Otatea
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
553
1
27800
👆🏻