Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Types
Hoodia albispina, Hoodia flava, Hoodia bainii
Tropical Fruit Tree
Number of Varieties
2510
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-9
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm1,370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Pink, Tan
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Blue Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Blue Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
-
Oblong or Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Once a week
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages
Remove dead branches
Fertilizers
No fertilizers needed
Put diluted fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Shade areas
Drought
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
Bold
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Flies, Insects
-
Allergy
Dry Mouth
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Weightloss
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for insects
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Weight loss
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Part of Plant Used
Stem
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used for its medicinal properties
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
Hoodia gordonii
DILLENIA indica
Common Name
ǁhoba, Ghaap
Chulta, Elephant Apple
In Hindi
Hoodia
Elephant Apple
In German
Hoodia
Elefant von Apple
In French
Hoodia
Elephant d'Apple
In Spanish
Hoodia
El elefante de Apple
In Greek
Hoodia
ελέφαντας της Apple
In Portuguese
Hoodia
Elefante da Apple
In Polish
Hoodia
Słoń Jabłko
In Latin
Hoodia
Elephant Apple
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Dilleniales
Family
Apocynaceae
Dilleniaceae
Genus
Hoodia
Dillenia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Stapeliae
-
Subfamily
Asclepiadoideae
-
Number of Species
251
1
27800
👆🏻