Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Shrub
Origin
South America
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
V. × heilbornii
Crossandra, Firecracker Plant
Number of Varieties
050
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
gardens, Homesteads, Urban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
10-9
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm40.60 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
Orange, Light Yellow, Peach, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Form a Soil ring to water efficiently, Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water more in summer
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove shoots
No pruning needed in the early stages, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
Cold, Cough, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Flowers
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
CROSSANDRA infundibuliformis
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
Firecracker Flower
In Hindi
Babaco
आबोली
In German
Babaco
Kracher-Blume
In French
Babaco
Firecracker fleur
In Spanish
Babaco
flor petardo
In Greek
Babaco
πυροτέχνημα λουλούδι
In Portuguese
Babaco
flor foguete
In Polish
Babaco
petarda kwiat
In Latin
Babaco
flos Firecracker
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Brassicales
Lamiales
Family
Caricaceae
Acanthaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Crossandra
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Brodiaeoideae
Number of Species
15
1
27800
👆🏻