Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Tropical Fruit Tree
Green Tomatillo, Purple Tomatillo
Number of Varieties
1040
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-156-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12*1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 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
Spreading
Oval/Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,370.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
Yellow, Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Green, Purple, Yellow green
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
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong or Lanceolate
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead branches
Remove all suckers, Remove wet foliage
Fertilizers
Put diluted fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Fungal Diseases
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Flea beetles
Allergy
-
Arthritis, Inflammation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Cancer, Diabetes, Energy, Opthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Fruits
Other Uses
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Used for making green salsas and chilli sauce, Used in salads
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
DILLENIA indica
PHYSALIS philadelphica
Common Name
Chulta, Elephant Apple
Green Tomato, Mexican Groundcherry, Tomatillo
In Hindi
Elephant Apple
Tomatillos
In German
Elefant von Apple
Tomatillos
In French
Elephant d'Apple
Tomatilles
In Spanish
El elefante de Apple
Tomatillos
In Greek
ελέφαντας της Apple
Tomatillos
In Portuguese
Elefante da Apple
Tomatillos
In Polish
Słoń Jabłko
Tomatillos
In Latin
Elephant Apple
Tomatillos
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Dilleniales
Solanales
Family
Dilleniaceae
Solanaceae
Genus
Dillenia
Physalis
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Physaleae
Subfamily
-
Solanoideae
Number of Species
175
1
27800
👆🏻