Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Southern Asia
Types
Tropical Fruit Tree
Savoy, Giant Noble, Semi-savoy
Number of Varieties
103
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
Fields, gardens, meadows, Suburban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
-
Habit
Spreading
Rosette/Stemless
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,370.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
Yellow, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Tan, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong or Lanceolate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead branches
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Put diluted fertilizers
Fertilize when new
Pests and Diseases
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Downy mildew, Leafminers, Red blotch, Seedcorn maggot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate, Drought
Flowers
Showy
-
Flower Petal Number
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
Food Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Energy, Potassium, Rich in Iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Leaves, Stem
Other Uses
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb, Vegetable
Botanical Name
DILLENIA indica
SPINACIA oleracea
Common Name
Chulta, Elephant Apple
Spinach
In Hindi
Elephant Apple
पालक
In German
Elefant von Apple
Spinat
In French
Elephant d'Apple
Épinards
In Spanish
El elefante de Apple
Espinacas
In Greek
ελέφαντας της Apple
Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Elefante da Apple
Espinafre
In Polish
Słoń Jabłko
Szpinak
In Latin
Elephant Apple
Spinach
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Dilleniales
Caryophyllales
Family
Dilleniaceae
Chenopodiaceae
Genus
Dillenia
Spinacia
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Anserineae
Subfamily
-
Chenopodioideae
Number of Species
1800
1
27800
👆🏻