Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Tree
Origin
South America
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Types
V. × heilbornii
Tropical Fruit Tree
Number of Varieties
010
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm1,370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Oblong or Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove shoots
Remove dead branches
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Put diluted fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
DILLENIA indica
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
Chulta, Elephant Apple
In Hindi
Babaco
Elephant Apple
In German
Babaco
Elefant von Apple
In French
Babaco
Elephant d'Apple
In Spanish
Babaco
El elefante de Apple
In Greek
Babaco
ελέφαντας της Apple
In Portuguese
Babaco
Elefante da Apple
In Polish
Babaco
Słoń Jabłko
In Latin
Babaco
Elephant Apple
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Dilleniales
Family
Caricaceae
Dilleniaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Dillenia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
11
1
27800
👆🏻