Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tree
Origin
North America, South America, Brazil
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Types
Peanut cactus
Tropical Fruit Tree
Number of Varieties
12810
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Sandy areas, Semi desert
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-9
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.20 cm1,370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange Red
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Oblong or Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
-
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Less Watering
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove dead branches
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, fertilize in summer, Potassium
Put diluted fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Scale
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Drought
Flowers
Showy
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
Bold
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
Skin cuts
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure, Wounds
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
ECHINOPSIS
DILLENIA indica
Common Name
Hedgehog Cactus, Sea urchin cactus
Chulta, Elephant Apple
In Hindi
हाथी कैक्टस
Elephant Apple
In German
Igel Kaktus
Elefant von Apple
In French
hérisson cactus
Elephant d'Apple
In Spanish
cactus de erizo
El elefante de Apple
In Greek
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
ελέφαντας της Apple
In Portuguese
hedgehog cactus
Elefante da Apple
In Polish
jeż kaktus
Słoń Jabłko
In Latin
cactus
Elephant Apple
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Dilleniales
Family
Cactaceae
Dilleniaceae
Genus
Echinopsis
Dillenia
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Trichocereeae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
20001
1
27800
👆🏻