Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Herbs
Origin
South America
Europe, Asia
Types
V. × heilbornii
Thodopuza, Red streaked, Alleppey
Number of Varieties
030
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Loamy soils, Tropical Forests, Tropical regions, Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-117-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm50.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm100.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
Green, Light Green, Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Tan, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Long Elliptic
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
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Mid Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
From Rhizomes, Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove shoots
Cut back old stems to the ground, Prune after harvesting, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, Fertilize the soil before planting, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Leaf Hoppers, Mites, Scale, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Shallow soil
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Aphids, Caterpillar, Mites, Rabbits, Snails
Allergy
-
Abdominal distension, Blurred vision, Oral Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Anti-ageing, Blackheads, Blood purifying, Making cosmetics, Natural Sunscreen, Remove blemishes, Skin inflammation
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Fixes Nitrogen, Prevent weeds, Provides ground cover
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
Abdominal Disease, Acne, Alzheimer’s Disease, Antibacterial, antimicrobial, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Atherosclerosis, Brain disease, Carminative, Cold, Diarrhea, Digestion problems, Eczema, Liver problems, Menstrual Cramps, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms, Treatment of ulcers, Urinary tract problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Used as an ointment, Used as colouring in foods, Used as insect repellent
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Alpine, Cutflower, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
Curcuma longa
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
Turmeric, Curcuma
In Hindi
Babaco
हल्दी
In German
Babaco
Kurkuma
In French
Babaco
curcuma
In Spanish
Babaco
Curcuma longa
In Greek
Babaco
κουρκούμη
In Portuguese
Babaco
curcuma
In Polish
Babaco
kurkuma
In Latin
Babaco
turmeric
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Zingiberales
Family
Caricaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Curcuma
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Zingibereae
Subfamily
-
Zingiberoideae
Number of Species
1100
1
27800
👆🏻