Lyside Sulphur
(Click the butterfly image for more photos)
Lyside Sulphur Caterpillar
(Click the caterpillar image to view the life cycle of this caterpillar)
Garden Rating |
Nectar Rating |
Caterpillar Rating |
2 |
1 |
3 |
If you have experience growing guayacan, we would like your opinion. Let us know how it performed in your butterfly garden. Your comments will help other butterfly gardeners in your region to create better butterfly gardens:
Guayacan - Guaiacum angustifolium
Other common names for this plant include Texas lignum-vitae, Soapbush, Iron-Wood
Guayacan is an evergreen shrub (or small tree) that has a dense foliage and gnarled 
branches. Providing excellent cover for wildlife, guayacan's deep purple-blue, fragrant flowers appear during March through September, often after a rain. Brilliant red seedpods follow the flowers in the fall, making this plant a good choice for general garden use.
Consider using Guayacan as an accent plant or focal point. Planting it along a path where it's fragrance will be appreciated is also a possibility.
Importance as a caterpillar food source: Used by the Lyside Sulphur as it's major food source. The Lyside Sulphur butterfly is a year round resident in the LRGV making it one of the most commonly seen butterflies in the area .
Importance as a butterfly nectar source: This plant is somewhat attractive as a nectar source.
| USDA Hardiness Zone | Zone 8 |
| Bloom Period | Spring to summer |
| Bloom Color | Blue to purple |
| Plant Height | 8 to 20 feet |
| Plant Spread | 8 to 20 feet |
| Light Exposure | Sun to part shade |
| Soil Moisture | Adaptable, very drought tolerant |
| Animal/Pest Problems | None |
Native Range for Guayacan (Guaiacum angustifolium)