Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
South America
Southern Africa
Types
V. × heilbornii
Hoodia albispina, Hoodia flava, Hoodia bainii
Number of Varieties
025
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1112-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
Red, Pink, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Blue Green, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
-
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
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Once a week
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove shoots
No pruning needed in the early stages
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Full Sun, Shade areas
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Flies, Insects
Allergy
-
Dry Mouth
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Stem
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
Hoodia gordonii
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
ǁhoba, Ghaap
In Hindi
Babaco
Hoodia
In German
Babaco
Hoodia
In French
Babaco
Hoodia
In Spanish
Babaco
Hoodia
In Greek
Babaco
Hoodia
In Portuguese
Babaco
Hoodia
In Polish
Babaco
Hoodia
In Latin
Babaco
Hoodia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Gentianales
Family
Caricaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Hoodia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Stapeliae
Subfamily
-
Asclepiadoideae
Number of Species
125
1
27800
👆🏻