Oak-leaved papaya

- bears small fruits that look like tiny papayas.

Oak-leaved papaya (Vasconcellea quercifolia)
Oak-leaved papaya - Vasconcellea quercifolia
Oak-leaved papaya in the Greenhouses in Aarhus
Oak-leaved papaya in the Greenhouses in Aarhus

Oak-leaved papaya is a fast-growing tree that can reach 6 to 7 m in height. The female plants produce small, 3 to 4 cm long fruits that resemble regular papayas in miniature.

There is a male and a female plant in the Greenhouses in Aarhus. You can see a large male plant in the northwest corner of the Mountain Forest House. It was planted in 2010 and at that time it was no more than a few centimeters in diameter. Since it is a male plant, it does not produce fruit.


Facts:

  • Greenhouse location: The Mountain Forest House
  • Danish name: Egebladet papaya
  • Latin name: Vasconcellea quercifolia
  • Family: Papaya family / Caricaceae
  • Natural habitat: Southern part of the Andes

Read more plant stories here.