Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States, California, Caribbean
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Grass
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
13
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
marshes, Swamps, Tropical Climate
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 9
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Mat-forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 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
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Fin-shaped Tufts
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Plugs, Sod, Sprigs
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
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
Red blotch
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Salt
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Allergy
Congestion, Itchiness, sneezing
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
-
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Used in lawns and turf
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Lawns and Turf
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
STENOTAPHRUM secundatum
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Softleaf Buffalo Grass, St. Augustine Grass
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
St. Augustine Grass
Lignum Vitae
In German
St. Augustine Grass
Lignum Vitae
In French
St. Augustine Grass
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
St. Augustine Grass
Palo santo
In Greek
St. Augustine Grass
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
St. Augustine Grass
pau-santo
In Polish
St. Augustine Grass
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
St. Augustine Grass
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Sapindales
Family
Poaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Stenotaphrum
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
-
Tribe
Paniceae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
-
Number of Species
73
1
27800
👆🏻