Guaiacum officinale

Guaiacum officinale (Guaiacum, Guayacan, Pockholz, Tree of Life, Lignum Vitae)

Sometimes named Guaiacum officinale is Guaiacum, Guayacan, Pockholz, Tree of life, and Lignum Vitae. The genus, Guaiacum, is derived from the Carib native trees. This is native to West African, South Florida, Central America’s West Bank, and South America’s North Coast. This small tree is rising extremely slowly, reaching an altitude of around 10 m and a trunk dia of 60 cm. The tree is largely evergreen in its native area. The leaves are compound, about 2.5 to 3 cm long and about 2 cm wide. The blue flowers have five petals that give the red and black seeds a vivid, yellow orange color.