Life Span
Annual or Biennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Types
Mexican potato,Mexican yam bean
Tropical Fruit Tree
Number of Varieties
-10
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Moist Soils, Wet ground
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
50.00 cm1,370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Lavender
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Tan
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oblong or Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry soil, Shallow soil
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
From bulbs
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead branches
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Put diluted fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Beetles, Leaf spot, Red blotch
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas, Shallow soil
Drought
Flowers
Showy
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Mice
-
Allergy
Irritation to stomach, Itchiness
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Improve skin tone
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Soil protection
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cold, Fever, Inflammation
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Root
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
PACHYRHIZUS erosus
DILLENIA indica
Common Name
Mexican Yam bean
Chulta, Elephant Apple
In Hindi
Pachyrhizus erosus
Elephant Apple
In German
Yambohne
Elefant von Apple
In French
Kłębian kątowaty
Elephant d'Apple
In Spanish
Pachyrhizus erosus
El elefante de Apple
In Greek
Pachyrhizus erosus
ελέφαντας της Apple
In Portuguese
Pachyrhizus erosus
Elefante da Apple
In Polish
Pachyrhizus erosus
Słoń Jabłko
In Latin
Pachyrhizus erosus
Elephant Apple
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Angiosperms
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Dilleniales
Family
Fabaceae
Dilleniaceae
Genus
Pachyrhizus
Dillenia
Clade
Angiosperms
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1001
1
27800
👆🏻