Life Span
Perennial
Biennial or Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Europe
Types
Tropical Fruit Tree
Leaf beet, Seakettle beet, Spinach beet
Number of Varieties
106
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Spreading
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,370.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
Red, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Dark Green, Green, Orange, Red, White, Yellow
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong or Lanceolate
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, 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
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead branches
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Put diluted fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Cercospora leaf spot, Damping off, Darkling beetles, Downy mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Insects
Allergy
-
dark circles, Diarrhea, Runny nose, Vomiting, wheezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
Moisturizing, Remove blemishes, Slow downs aging, Speed hair growth
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Antitumor, Carminative, Haemostatic, Stomachic, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Cultivated for fodder, Eaten as a pot herb, Used to make juice
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
DILLENIA indica
BETA vulgaris ssp. cicla
Common Name
Chulta, Elephant Apple
Swiss Chard
In Hindi
Elephant Apple
Swiss Chard
In German
Elefant von Apple
Swiss Chard
In French
Elephant d'Apple
Chard suisse
In Spanish
El elefante de Apple
Acelgas
In Greek
ελέφαντας της Apple
Σέσκουλο
In Portuguese
Elefante da Apple
Acelga suíça
In Polish
Słoń Jabłko
Boćwina
In Latin
Elephant Apple
Swiss Chard
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Dilleniales
Caryophyllales
Family
Dilleniaceae
Chenopodiaceae
Genus
Dillenia
Beta
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Cyclolobeae
Subfamily
-
Betoideae
Number of Species
13
1
27800
👆🏻