Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Herbs, Perennial
Origin
Central America, South America
South-Eastern Asia
Types
Fruit Tree
-
Number of Varieties
220
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Well Drained, Woodlands
Semi desert, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-119-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12 - 9
Sunset Zone
13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Thicket/Colonizing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
457.20 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
243.84 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Pink
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Spring, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Needs good drainage
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Dry, Sandy
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
In Early Autumn, Prune in winter, Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Cut away fading foliage, Cut upper 1/3 section when young to enhancegrowth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Complete balanced fertilizer, iron-rich fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Don't use high pH fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Whiteflies
Aphids, Downy mildew, Dry root rot, Rust, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Wind
Heat Tolerance, Humidity
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies, pollinators
Aphids, Bees, Butterflies, Snails
Allergy
Pollen
Dizziness, Mouth itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Good Cleanser, Good for the Scalp
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for birds, Nesting sites for birds, Windbreak
Air purification, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Arthritis, Diarrhea, Dysentry, Fertility, Fever, Inflammation, Kidney problems, Urinary tract problems, Vitamin C
Antipyretic, Bronchitis, Cough, Digestive disorders, Ear infections, Expectorant, Laxative, Migraines, Piles, Rheumatism, Throat infection, Treating fever
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves, Root
Bark, Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for making hedge
Biomass for fuel, Can be made into a herbal tea, Culinary use, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Used as a laxative
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Container, Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
Malpighia emarginata
Justicia adhatoda
Common Name
Barbados cherry, West Indian cherry and wild crepe myrtle
Malabar nut, Adulsa, Adhatoda, Vasaka
In Hindi
Acerola Tree
अडुळसा, अडुसा
In German
Acerola Baum
Indisches Lungenkraut
In French
Acerola Arbre
Justicia adhatoda
In Spanish
Árbol de acerola
Justicia adhatoda
In Greek
Acerola Δέντρο
Justicia adhatoda
In Portuguese
Árvore acerola
Justicia adhatoda
In Polish
Acerola Drzewo
Justicia adhatoda
In Latin
Acerola ligno
Justicia adhatoda
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malpighiales
Scrophulariales
Family
Malpighiaceae
Acanthaceae
Genus
Malpighia
Justicia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Justicieae
Subfamily
Paperveroideae
Acanthoideae
Number of Species
-658
1
27800
👆🏻