Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Tree
Origin
South America
North America, United States, Northwestern United States, Alaska, California, Canada
Types
V. × heilbornii
-
Number of Varieties
030
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Lowland evergreen rainforest
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-114-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
7-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Upright/Erect
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm1,370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
Yellow, Red, Coral
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
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
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
Layering, 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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
Anodyne, Appetizer, Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Flowers, Inner Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
Used as a dye, used for making charcoal, Used for making informal hedge
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
ALNUS rubra
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
Oregon Alder, Red Alder
In Hindi
Babaco
red alder
In German
Babaco
rot-Erle
In French
Babaco
aulne rouge
In Spanish
Babaco
aliso rojo
In Greek
Babaco
κόκκινη σκλήθρα
In Portuguese
Babaco
amieiro vermelho
In Polish
Babaco
czerwony olcha
In Latin
Babaco
red alnus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Fagales
Family
Caricaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Alnus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
135
1
27800
👆🏻