Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, China
South America
Types
Tropical Fruit Tree
Gymnocalycium alboareolatum , Gymnocalycium amerhauseri , Gymnocalycium andreae
Number of Varieties
1054
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
Desert, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
13,21,22,23,24
Habit
Spreading
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm12.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,370.00 cm8.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
creamy white, Light Pink, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Pink
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong or Lanceolate
-
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
All year
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Part sun, Partial shade, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Sand, Sandy
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Sandy
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
All year
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Offsets
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Do not water excessively
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Sandy
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Dry
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Part sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead branches
-
Fertilizers
Put diluted fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Mealy bugs, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Ants, Mealybugs
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
-
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Bark, Fruits
Other Uses
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Decoration Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Showy Tree
Botanical Name
DILLENIA indica
GYMNOCALYCIUM
Common Name
Chulta, Elephant Apple
Chin Cactus
In Hindi
Elephant Apple
Gymnocalycium
In German
Elefant von Apple
Gymnocalycium
In French
Elephant d'Apple
Gymnocalycium
In Spanish
El elefante de Apple
Gymnocalycium
In Greek
ελέφαντας της Apple
Gymnocalycium
In Portuguese
Elefante da Apple
Gymnocalycium
In Polish
Słoń Jabłko
Gymnocalycium
In Latin
Elephant Apple
Gymnocalycium
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Dilleniales
Caryophyllales
Family
Dilleniaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Dillenia
Gymnocalycium
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Trichocereeae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
154
1
27800
👆🏻