Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Perennial
Origin
South America
United States, Canada
Types
V. × heilbornii
-
Number of Varieties
010
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Cultivated Beds, Dappled Shade, Woodland Garden Canopy, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-114-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
White, Green, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Dark Purple
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Obtuse
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove shoots
Prune in summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Cadmium fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Mosaic viruses, Yellow Leaves
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Small mammals
Allergy
-
Abdominal pain, allergic reaction, cramps, Diarrhea, Nausea, Spasms, Toxic, Toxic if not prepared properly, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
Anodyne, anti-inflammatory, Antirheumatic, Arthritis, Curing mumps and measles, Homeopathy
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
Used as an insecticide, Used for its medicinal properties, Used for making soaps, Used in making blue ink
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Wildflower
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
PHYTOLACCA americana
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
American Pokeweed, Inkberry, Pokeberry
In Hindi
Babaco
POKEBERRY
In German
Babaco
Kermesbeere
In French
Babaco
POKEBERRY
In Spanish
Babaco
Pokeberry
In Greek
Babaco
POKEBERRY
In Portuguese
Babaco
POKEBERRY
In Polish
Babaco
alkiermes
In Latin
Babaco
pokeberry
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Caryophyllales
Family
Caricaceae
Phytolaccaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Phytolacca
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
135
1
27800
👆🏻