Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
India, Nepal, China, Japan, Korea
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Cornus controversa
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
13
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Woodland Garden Canopy
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-810-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,070.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Ivory
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Burgundy, Dark Blue, Black
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Yellow, Burgundy, Dark Red
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
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering during dry 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
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
No fertilizers needed
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial leaf spot, Canker, Powdery mildew
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Coarse
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Used in parkland
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiphlogistic
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Oil used in the lubricating and soap industry
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Shade Trees, Street Trees
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
CORNUS controversa
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Giant Dogwood, Wedding Cake Tree
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
Wedding Cake Tree
Lignum Vitae
In German
Hochzeitstorte Baum
Lignum Vitae
In French
Gâteau de mariage Arbre
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
Pastel de bodas del árbol
Palo santo
In Greek
Γαμήλια τούρτα Δέντρο
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Árvore do bolo de casamento
pau-santo
In Polish
Wedding Cake Drzewo
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
MUSTACEUM ligno
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cornales
Sapindales
Family
Cornaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Cornus
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Cornoideae
-
Number of Species
33
1
27800
👆🏻