St. Ignatius' Bean Plant Care

St. Ignatius' Bean (Strychnos ignatii) belongs to the Loganiaceae family within the Strychnos genus. St. Ignatius' Bean is native to the Philippines, particularly in Catbalogan and parts of China. St. Ignatius' Bean is also known as Ignatius Bean.

St. Ignatius' Bean displays a small tree or shrub growth habit, reaching up to 10 ft tall with a spread of approximately 8 ft. St. Ignatius' Bean produces small, fragrant white flowers.

Leaf size: approximately 4 inches.

Water a young or newly planted St. Ignatius' Bean every 7–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

St. Ignatius' Bean thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Strychnos ignatii tolerates temperatures of 65–85°F. St. Ignatius' Bean prefers humidity levels of 50–70%. A pebble tray or humidifier helps maintain adequate moisture around the plant.

Well-draining sandy loam with added organic matter. Good drainage is essential for St. Ignatius' Bean to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed St. Ignatius' Bean every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining sandy loam with added organic matter. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

St. Ignatius' Bean is suited to USDA Zone 13b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

St. Ignatius' Bean can spread to about 8 ft (2.4 m) and reach about 10 ft (3 m) tall. Space plants about 8 ft (2.4 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune St. Ignatius' Bean while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

St. Ignatius' Bean is frost-tender (hardy to USDA zone 13). In colder areas grow it in a container and move it to a bright, frost-free place before the first frost.

St. Ignatius' Bean can be propagated through seeds, stem cuttings. Similar propagation techniques also apply to icaco plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

St. Ignatius' Bean is susceptible to aphids, scale insects, spider mites. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

St. Ignatius' Bean grows outdoors in USDA Zone 13b. It survives winters down to planting zone 13b. St. Ignatius' Bean is native to the Philippines, particularly in Catbalogan and parts of China. In cooler regions, grow St. Ignatius' Bean as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.