Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Fruit
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Southern Asia, India, Melanesia, Australia
Types
Tropical Fruit Tree
Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis
Number of Varieties
101
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Spreading
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,370.00 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
White, Purple
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong or Lanceolate
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Winter, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Budding, Cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Keep the Soil well drained, 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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead branches
Prune in spring, Remove branches, Remove branches that rub together, Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Put diluted fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in spring, fertilize in summer, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Respiratory Disorders, Soothing and relieving pain
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Making Perfumes, Traditional medicine, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Shade Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
DILLENIA indica
CITRUS medica var. sarcodactylis
Common Name
Chulta, Elephant Apple
Buddha's Hand, Fingered Citron
In Hindi
Elephant Apple
Buddha's Hand
Tree
In German
Elefant von Apple
Buddhas Hand
Baum
In French
Elephant d'Apple
Main de Bouddha
Arbre
In Spanish
El elefante de Apple
Mano de Buda
Árbol
In Greek
ελέφαντας της Apple
Χέρι του Βούδα
Δέντρο
In Portuguese
Elefante da Apple
Mão de Buda
Árvore
In Polish
Słoń Jabłko
Ręka Buddy
Drzewo
In Latin
Elephant Apple
Buddha manus
Arbor
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Dilleniales
Sapindales
Family
Dilleniaceae
Rutaceae
Genus
Dillenia
Citrus
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
11
1
27800
👆🏻