Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Perennial, Shrub
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Northwestern United States, Canada
Types
Tropical Fruit Tree
sharpleaf penstemon, white-margined beardtongue, lowland beardtongue
Number of Varieties
1078
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
foothill woods, High elevation, Open areas, Rocky areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15
Habit
Spreading
Mat-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm45.72 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,370.00 cm40.64 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
Purple
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong or Lanceolate
Narrow and lance shape
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
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Needs less watering, Requires regular watering, Water occasionally
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
Pruning
Remove dead branches
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Put diluted fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Coarse
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Asthma, Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Recovering internal injuries, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Flowers
Other Uses
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Container, Used as Ornamental plant, Veterinarian uses
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Alpine, Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
DILLENIA indica
PENSTEMON fruticosus 'Purple Haze'
Common Name
Chulta, Elephant Apple
Bush Penstemon, Shrubby Penstemon
In Hindi
Elephant Apple
Bush Penstemon
In German
Elefant von Apple
Bush Penstemon
In French
Elephant d'Apple
Bush Penstemon
In Spanish
El elefante de Apple
Bush Penstemon
In Greek
ελέφαντας της Apple
Μπους Penstemon
In Portuguese
Elefante da Apple
Bush, Penstemon
In Polish
Słoń Jabłko
Bush Penstemon
In Latin
Elephant Apple
Persicaria Bush
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Dilleniales
Scrophulariales
Family
Dilleniaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Genus
Dillenia
Penstemon
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1250
1
27800
👆🏻