Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
India, Nepal, China
Southern Africa
Types
Betula utilis
Hoodia albispina, Hoodia flava, Hoodia bainii
Number of Varieties
225
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mountains
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-712-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-5
12-10
Sunset Zone
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Pyramidal
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
760.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Tan, Brown
Red, Pink, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Yellow green
Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow
Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Blue Green, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Cordiform
-
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
Very 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 Spring
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Grafting, Stem Cutting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Once a week
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
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
No pruning needed in the early stages
Fertilizers
Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, slow-release fertilizers
No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
Honey fungus, Leaves with brown tip, Phytophthora Root Rot, Powdery mildew, Verticillium Wilt
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions, waterlogging, Wet Site
Drought, Full Sun, Shade areas
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Flies, Insects
Allergy
-
Dry Mouth
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
Weightloss
Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Antioxidants, Antiseptic, Carminative
Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Stem
Other Uses
Used in construction, Wood is used in construction
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
BETULA utilis
Hoodia gordonii
Common Name
Himalayan Birch
ǁhoba, Ghaap
In Hindi
हिमालय सन्टी
Hoodia
In German
Himalaya-Birke
Hoodia
In French
bouleau de l'Himalaya
Hoodia
In Spanish
abedul del Himalaya
Hoodia
In Greek
Himalayan σημύδας
Hoodia
In Portuguese
bétula Himalaia
Hoodia
In Polish
Himalayan brzoza
Hoodia
In Latin
Birch Himalayan
Hoodia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Gentianales
Family
Betulaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Betula
Hoodia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Stapeliae
Subfamily
-
Asclepiadoideae
Number of Species
3025
1
27800
👆🏻