Lignum Vitae
Other Common Names
Guayacan, Palo santo (Mexico, Central America, West Indies, Venezuela, and Colombia).
Distribution
West Indies, coastal region of tropical Mexico, west coast of Central America, and northern fringe of Colombia and adjacent areas in Venezuela. Largely confined to dry exposed sites and does well on shallow soils.
The Tree
A small tree usually 20 to 30 ft in height; often 10 to 12 in. in diameter, occasionally 18 to 30 in.
The Wood
General CharacteristicsHeartwood is dark greenish brown to almost black and sharply demarcated from the narrow pale yellow or cream-colored sapwood. Texture very fine; grain is strongly interlocked; a slight scent is evident when warmed or rubbed. It has a characteristic oily feel due to the resin content that may be as high as one-fourth of the air-dry weight.