Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, Western United States, Northwestern United States, Alaska, Canada
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
-
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
23
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forest margins, Thickets
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-710-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6
H1, H2
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
370.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
430.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
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
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings, Transplanting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Keep ground moist
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
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, for fruiting plants, use high phosphorous content fertilizer
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial leaf spot, Cane Spot, fungus, Powdery mildew, Viruses
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
-
Drought, Salt
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
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for birds, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, soil stabilisation
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cold, Fever
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
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
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
Sambucus racemosa
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Red Elderberry, Red-berried Elderberry
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
Red Elderberry
Lignum Vitae
In German
Rote Holunder
Lignum Vitae
In French
Red sureau
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
La baya del saúco roja
Palo santo
In Greek
κόκκινο Elderberry
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Red Elderberry
pau-santo
In Polish
Red Elderberry
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
pubens
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Dipsacales
Sapindales
Family
Caprifoliaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Sambucus
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
73
1
27800
👆🏻