Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Sedge or Rush
Origin
South America
Southern Europe, United Kingdom, Northern Africa
Types
V. × heilbornii
-
Number of Varieties
020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Grassland, Humid climates, Riverbanks, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-118-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
11-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Requires regular watering, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove shoots
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Insects
Allergy
-
Asthma, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
Digestion problems, Fever
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Bog Garden, Container, Edging, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
ISOLEPIS cernua
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
Low Bulrush
Slender Clubrush
In Hindi
Babaco
फाइबर ऑप्टिक घास
In German
Babaco
Lichtwellenleiter-Gras
In French
Babaco
Fibre optique Herbe
In Spanish
Babaco
Hierba de fibra óptica
In Greek
Babaco
Οπτικών Ινών Grass
In Portuguese
Babaco
Fibra Óptica Relva
In Polish
Babaco
Światłowody Trawa
In Latin
Babaco
Fiber opticus Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Brassicales
Poales
Family
Caricaceae
Cyperaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Isolepis
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Pooideae
Number of Species
170
1
27800
👆🏻