Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Tender Perennial
Origin
South America
Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia
Types
V. × heilbornii
-
Number of Varieties
02
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-119-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
White, Red, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
-
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
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Oblong
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged
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
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, Fertilizer every month during spring, Requires high amount of nitrogen, since leafy plants, use higher nitrogen content fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Earwigs, fungus, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red blotch, Root rot, Scale, Thripes
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
Antirheumatic, Appetite enhancer, Asthma, Bronchitis, Cold, Headache, Laxative, Muscle Pain, Sore throat, Sweat bullets, Tonsillitis
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Flowers, Root bark
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
Culinary use, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
ALPINIA purpurata
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
Jungle Queen, Red Ginger
In Hindi
Babaco
लाल अदरक
In German
Babaco
Red Ginger
In French
Babaco
Red Ginger
In Spanish
Babaco
Red Ginger
In Greek
Babaco
Red Ginger
In Portuguese
Babaco
Red Ginger
In Polish
Babaco
Red Ginger
In Latin
Babaco
Gingiberi Rubrum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Zingiberales
Family
Caricaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Alpinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Alpinieae
Subfamily
-
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
150
1
27800
👆🏻