Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
North America, United States, Northwestern United States, Alaska, California, Canada
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
-
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
303
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-710-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
H1, H2
Habit
Pyramidal
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,370.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Coral
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
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
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Layering, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Nitrogen
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
-
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Drought, Salt
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Insects
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Skin Problems
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anodyne, Appetizer, Astringent
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Inner Bark, Sap
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Used as a dye, used for making charcoal, Used for making informal hedge
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALNUS rubra
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Oregon Alder, Red Alder
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
red alder
Lignum Vitae
In German
rot-Erle
Lignum Vitae
In French
aulne rouge
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
aliso rojo
Palo santo
In Greek
κόκκινη σκλήθρα
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
amieiro vermelho
pau-santo
In Polish
czerwony olcha
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
red alnus
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Sapindales
Family
Betulaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Alnus
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
353
1
27800
👆🏻