Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Tree
Origin
-
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Fruit
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
3003
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Temperate Regions
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-810-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
H1, H2
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
300.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Dark Red
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
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
Light Green
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Simple lobed or unlobed
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Use Mulches to help prevent water loss during hot and windy weather
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
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Birds
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Salt
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single, Double
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
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Anaphylaxis, gastro-intestinal problems, Itchiness, Skin irritation
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bouquets, Informal Hedge, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-inflammatory, Anti-oxidant, Gout, Insomnia, Soothing and relieving pain
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Air freshner, Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, Cake, Edible syrup, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used to make juice
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Mixed Border
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
PRUNUS cerasus
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Pie Cherry, Sour Cherry, Tart Cherry
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
Sour cherry
Lignum Vitae
In German
Sauerkirsche
Lignum Vitae
In French
Prunus cerasus
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
Prunus cerasus
Palo santo
In Greek
Sour cherry
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Ginja
pau-santo
In Polish
Wiśnia pospolita
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
Prunus cerasus
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Rosales
Sapindales
Family
Rosaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Prunus
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
2703
1
27800
👆🏻