Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, China
North America, South America, Brazil
Types
Tropical Fruit Tree
Peanut cactus
Number of Varieties
10128
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
Desert, Sandy areas, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1512-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
12, 13, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Spreading
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,370.00 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Green, Orange Red
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
Oblong or Lanceolate
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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
Remove dead branches
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Put diluted fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, fertilize in summer, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Mealybugs, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Skin cuts
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, 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, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
DILLENIA indica
ECHINOPSIS
Common Name
Chulta, Elephant Apple
Hedgehog Cactus, Sea urchin cactus
In Hindi
Elephant Apple
हाथी कैक्टस
In German
Elefant von Apple
Igel Kaktus
In French
Elephant d'Apple
hérisson cactus
In Spanish
El elefante de Apple
cactus de erizo
In Greek
ελέφαντας της Apple
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
In Portuguese
Elefante da Apple
hedgehog cactus
In Polish
Słoń Jabłko
jeż kaktus
In Latin
Elephant Apple
cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Dilleniales
Caryophyllales
Family
Dilleniaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Dillenia
Echinopsis
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Trichocereeae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
12000
1
27800
👆🏻