Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Palm or Cycad
Origin
South America
United States, Southeastern United States
Types
V. × heilbornii
Rhapidophyllum hystrix
Number of Varieties
015
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Cold Regions, Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-116-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
12-6
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
White, Light Yellow, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Dark Red, Brown, Sienna
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Needle like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Needs small amount of water
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Remove shoots
Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate, Frost
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Rabbits, Small mammals
Allergy
-
drowsiness, Scratches
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
bank hedging, Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
Aging, Frostbite
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Leaves
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
Application in Handicrafts, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
RHAPIDOPHYLLUM hystrix
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
Needle Palm, Porcupine plant
In Hindi
Babaco
सुई ताड़
In German
Babaco
Nadel -Palme
In French
Babaco
palmier aiguille
In Spanish
Babaco
palmera aguja
In Greek
Babaco
βελόνα φοίνικα
In Portuguese
Babaco
palmeira agulha
In Polish
Babaco
Igła palma
In Latin
Babaco
acus palma
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Arecales
Family
Caricaceae
Arecaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Rhapidophyllum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Corypheae
Subfamily
-
Coryphoideae
Number of Species
110
1
27800
👆🏻