Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Herbs
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Mexico, Central America, South America
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Types
Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants
Not avilable
Number of Varieties
110
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
shrublands, tropical grasslands
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Weeping
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
50.80 cm4.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
Dark Salmon, Sandy Brown, White, Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Green, Light Green, Tan
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lanceolate
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Spring, Early Summer, Late Spring, Late Winter, Mid Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
-
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
-
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pest Free
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Semi-Double
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flies
-
Allergy
allergic reaction, Skin irritation
Itchiness
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Hanging Basket, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
-
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Detoxification, Insect Bites, Stomach pain, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Fruits, Nut
Other Uses
Pesticide, The essential oil is used as insect repellent
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for Landscaping
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Houseplant, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CHENOPODIUM ambrosioides
Selenicereus pteranthus
Common Name
Mexican Tea
Selenicereus, Moonlight cactus
In Hindi
Dysphania ambrosioides
moonlight cactus
In German
Mexikanischer Drüsengänsefuß
Selenicereus
In French
Épazote
Selenicereus
In Spanish
Dysphania ambrosioides
Selenicereus
In Greek
Μεξικού τσάι
Selenicereus
In Portuguese
Dysphania ambrosioides
Selenicereus
In Polish
Komosa piżmowa
Selenicereus
In Latin
Dysphania ambrosioides
moonlight cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales
Family
Chenopodiaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Dysphania
Selenicereus
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Dysphanieae
Hylocereeae
Subfamily
Chenopodioideae
Cactoideae
Number of Species
301
1
27800
👆🏻