Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
Tropical Fruit Tree
Apricot Queen, August Flame, Autumn Fire
Number of Varieties
108
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
Fields, marshes, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-156-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
H1, H2, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Spreading
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,370.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
Orange, Dark Red, Orange Red, Copper, Chocolate, Black
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong or Lanceolate
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Spring, Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Do not let dry out between waterings, Needs Very high moisture
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead branches
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Put diluted fertilizers
organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Mosaic potyvirus
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Poisonous to grazing animals
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Bog Garden, Water gardening
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Flowers
Other Uses
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Oil is used for aromatherapy
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Bog Garden, Water Gardens, Wildflower
Botanical Name
DILLENIA indica
IRIS fulva
Common Name
Chulta, Elephant Apple
Copper iris
In Hindi
Elephant Apple
Copper Iris
In German
Elefant von Apple
Copper Iris
In French
Elephant d'Apple
Copper Iris
In Spanish
El elefante de Apple
Cobre Iris
In Greek
ελέφαντας της Apple
χαλκός Iris
In Portuguese
Elefante da Apple
Copper Iris
In Polish
Słoń Jabłko
Miedź Iris
In Latin
Elephant Apple
Iris Copper
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Dilleniales
Liliales
Family
Dilleniaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Dillenia
Iris
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
1250
1
27800
👆🏻