Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Tree
Origin
South America
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
V. × heilbornii
-
Number of Varieties
03
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
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
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
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
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
Pruning
Remove shoots
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Erosion control, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
River Birch
In Hindi
Babaco
River Birch
In German
Babaco
Fluss Birch
In French
Babaco
Birch river
In Spanish
Babaco
river Birch
In Greek
Babaco
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
Babaco
river Birch
In Polish
Babaco
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
Babaco
Betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Fagales
Family
Caricaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
13
1
27800
👆🏻