Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, Texas, Canada
Types
Male Papaya Tree, Female Papaya Tree, hermaphrodite Tree
-
Number of Varieties
2025
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
tropical environments, Tropical regions
Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 21, 23, 24
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
457.20 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
7.62 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Yellow
Light Yellow, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Orange, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Red, Orange, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand, Well drained
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Do not water frequently, Requires watering in the growing season
-
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove shoots, Remove short branches, Remove short twigs, Requires little pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
14-14-14 Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Bees, Hummingbirds
Birds
Allergy
Asthma, breathing problems, Itchiness, Itchy eyes, Red eyes, Runny nose, sneezing, Sore eyes, Swelling, Watery eyes, wheezing
Irritate the mucus membrane, Rash, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Good for skin and hair, Improve hair condition, Making cosmetics
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Asthma, Bone strength, Cancer, Diabetes, Digestion problems, Heart problems, Inflammation, Skin Disorders
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Sap
Other Uses
Cosmetics, Making Shampoo, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used to make a black varnish for use in woodworking
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Tropical
-
Botanical Name
CARICA papaya
TOXICODENDRON vernix
Common Name
Papaya
Poison Dogwood, Poison Elderberry, Poison Sumac, Swamp Sumac
In Hindi
पपीता
toxicodendron vernix
In German
Papaya
toxicodendron vernix
In French
Papaye
TOXICODENDRON vernix
In Spanish
Papaya
vérnix TOXICODENDRON
In Greek
Παπάγια
Toxicodendron vernix
In Portuguese
Mamão
TOXICODENDRON vernix
In Polish
Papaja
toxicodendron vernix
In Latin
Papaya
Natrum vernix
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Sapindales
Family
Caricaceae
Anacardiaceae
Genus
Carica
Toxicodendron
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3035
1
27800
👆🏻