Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Biennials
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
India, Nepal, China
India, Philippines, Southeast Asia
Types
Betula utilis
Lagenaria siceraria
Number of Varieties
22
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mountains
Moist Soils, Tropical Climate
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-75-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-5
12-1
Sunset Zone
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17
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
Pyramidal
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
760.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Tan, Brown
Yellow, Orange, Dark Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Yellow, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Yellow green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Cordiform
Palmate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Stem Cutting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Requires watering in the growing season, water on alternate days
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering, Remove branches that rub together, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, slow-release fertilizers
High potassium diluted feed of 5-10-5, Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Honey fungus, Leaves with brown tip, Phytophthora Root Rot, Powdery mildew, Verticillium Wilt
Army-worms, Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Blight, Cucumber beetles, Cutworms, Fusarium leaf spot, Leaf rust, Red spider mite, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions, waterlogging, Wet Site
Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Flies, Flying insects
Allergy
-
Hypoglycaemic Coma, Irregular Heart Rhythm
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Decorating walls, Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
Weightloss
Anti-ageing, Making cosmetics
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Antioxidants, Antiseptic, Carminative
Anti-fungal, Blood disorders, Culinary Usage, Diabetes, Gastrointestinal disorders, Laxative, Nutritive, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Fruits
Other Uses
Used in construction, Wood is used in construction
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Repellent, Used in making musical instruments
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Vine
Botanical Name
BETULA utilis
Lagenaria siceraria
Common Name
Himalayan Birch
calabash, bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd, opo squash
In Hindi
हिमालय सन्टी
लौकी
In German
Himalaya-Birke
Flaschenkürbis
In French
bouleau de l'Himalaya
Lagenaria siceraria
In Spanish
abedul del Himalaya
Lagenaria siceraria
In Greek
Himalayan σημύδας
Τσότρα
In Portuguese
bétula Himalaia
Cabaça
In Polish
Himalayan brzoza
Tykwa pospolita
In Latin
Birch Himalayan
utrem cucurbita
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Cucurbitales
Family
Betulaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Betula
Coccinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Papilionoideae
Number of Species
3027
1
27800
👆🏻