Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Shrub
Fruit
Origin
South Africa
Mexico, Central America
Types
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Male Papaya Tree, Female Papaya Tree, hermaphrodite Tree
Number of Varieties
720
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Boggy areas, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
tropical environments, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 21, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
365.76 cm457.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
182.88 cm7.62 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Yellow, Ivory
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green, Orange, Light Yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Winter, Late Winter
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires 4 to 8 inches of water above the soil line
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Do not water frequently, 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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in early summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Trim each shoot back to the first set of leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove shoots, Remove short branches, Remove short twigs, Requires little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
14-14-14 Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Fine
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Ants, Bees, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Toxic
Asthma, breathing problems, Itchiness, Itchy eyes, Red eyes, Runny nose, sneezing, Sore eyes, Swelling, Watery eyes, wheezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Good for skin and hair, Improve hair condition, Making cosmetics
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emetic, Febrifuge, Laxative, Odontalgic, Ophthalmic, Tonic
Asthma, Bone strength, Cancer, Diabetes, Digestion problems, Heart problems, Inflammation, Skin Disorders
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Inner Bark, Root, Wood
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Used for woodware
Cosmetics, Making Shampoo, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Cutflower, Dried Flower, Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Tropical
Botanical Name
BERZELIA lanuginosa
CARICA papaya
Common Name
Buttonbush
Papaya
In Hindi
Buttonbush shrub
पपीता
In German
Button Strauch
Papaya
In French
buttonbush arbuste
Papaye
In Spanish
arbusto buttonbush
Papaya
In Greek
Buttonbush θάμνος
Παπάγια
In Portuguese
arbusto Buttonbush
Mamão
In Polish
Buttonbush krzew
Papaja
In Latin
Frutex Buttonbush
Papaya
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Rubiales
Brassicales
Family
Bruniaceae
Caricaceae
Genus
Cephalanthus
Carica
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1230
1
27800
👆🏻