Babaco

Richard · 02-28-2008, 01:19 PM

(excerpt from upcoming newsletter publication)

The Babaco (Vasconcellea ×heilbornii; syn. Carica pentagona) is a papaya-like plant first introduced into North American gardens by Steve Spangler, founder of Exotica Nursery in Vista CA. It is native to the mountainous regions of equatorial America. The Babaco is widely available in Southern California nurseries during summer months.

The plant is incredibly easy to grow in temperate climates. Nursery stock will survive in pots or planted in the ground with regular applications of humic fertilizers. In my experience, modest applications of GroPower 8-6-8 Citrus and Avocado Food seem more than sufficient.

In the wild, the plants grow for several years to a height of 15 feet or so, and then break off near the base due to the inability of the stalk to support growth at that height. In cultivation, the plant is grown for 2–4 years to a height of about 5 feet, then cut back near the base for regeneration. The removed stalks can be cut into ~1 foot sections, coated with RootTone® or another rooting compound, and grown into additional plants which will bear viable fruit in 2 years. It is quite cold-hardy for a tropical plant, living through 3 nights of 27 deg-F temperatures in the “freeze of 2007”. When loaded with fruit, the plant does need lateral support to avoid tipping or breaking during a wind storm.

The Babaco is a naturally occurring hybrid between the true mountain papaya (Vasconcellea pubescens, syn. Carica pubescens) and the Chamburro (Vasconcellea stipulata, syn. Carica stipulata). It has no seeds, and can correctly be thought of as a “mule”. Its propagation in the wild has been carried out by repeated hybridization and the ability of broken stalks to regenerate in organically rich soils.

The fruit of the Babaco begins forming in the spring with the introduction of pseudo flower buds. In southern CA, the first buds fall off but by May begin to take hold and generate fruit. By late summer, the fruits are large, green, and quite solid.

The fruit turns almost completely yellow when ripe. In the wild, the natural climes are warm enough for the fruit to ripen by November. However, in coastal or coastal-influenced southern CA, the desired number of degree-days will not be accumulated until the following March or April. Ripe fruit will fall from the plant, taking out the guess-work of harvesting. Piles of peat around the plant will guarantee a soft landing and benefit the culture of the Babaco.

The ripe fruit is less sweet than the Caribbean and Strawberry Papayas of the genus Carica. The taste is reminiscent of pineapple and hence the name “Pineapple Papaya” would be an excellent choice when marketing this fruit adjacent to its more common cousins.

In my opinion, the ripe fruit is excellent eaten fresh. As a fruit drink it is loved by people of all ages and is outstanding in sorbet. (My wife points out that the possibilities for rum drinks are endless.) The nutritional content of the fruit is quite high – even compared to some of the more popular “healthy” fruits currently taking the market by storm. In recent years, the MinuteMaid® division of the Coca-Cola® Company has introduced a line of tropical fruit drinks containing Passion, Mango, etc. Given the relative ease and low-cost of Babaco production, it would make a fine and enterprising addition to their product line.

More photos can be found here: Banana Gallery - Richard's Papaya Album

D_&_T · 02-28-2008, 01:39 PM

sounds good, we are going to large greenhouse to winter plants we would like

Lagniappe · 02-28-2008, 10:08 PM

Does the Babaco produce papain ?

Richard · 03-04-2008, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lagniappe

Does the Babaco produce papain ?

Papain is a protease in the juice of unripe papaya that is used especially as a tenderizer for meat and in medicine (as in the topical debridement of necrotic tissue). -- from Webster's online dictionary.

I don't know if Babaco produces this protein. Note that common papaya is in the Genus Carissa, while Babaco is in the Genus Vasconcellea.

Richard · 03-31-2008, 07:23 PM

With the arrival of spring in Southern California, nurseries are beginning to stock Babaco plants, typically near the banana plants and in the same size pots. Elsewhere in far-flung places like Salinas, Texas, and Tennesee -- there are people who have or will receive babaco cuttings very soon now. And so my inbox is full of questions about how to grow them.

The bottom 2-3 inches of the cutting should be dipped in rooting hormone -- which is how I ship them because the rooting compound also contains fungicide. The cutting should be planted a depth equal to about 1/3 its length. The plant is not shy about rooting and new leafs should start to push out the top in a few weeks or so -- depending upon the local temperature. You can water it with 1/4 teaspoon of SuperThrive added to a gallon of water one time only. After that, water the cutting without a supplement until it starts pushing out new leafs.

In either case, the Babaco can be planted either in the ground or in a pot. You can transplant/root it outside now if the daytime temperatures are above 65 F and the nighttime temps do not dip below 50 F. If you are in USDA zone 9 or higher, you can grow the plant outdoors year-round. It is native to the highlands of central America in zone 10-11. It tolerates frosts but is killed by a hard freeze.

If you wish to (or have to) grow it in a pot, a 25 gallon size is sufficient and 50 gallon is unnecessary. For a 25 gallon pot you will need a little over 3 cubic feet of soil for a cutting, and a little less than 3 cu.ft. for a transplant from a 1 gallon pot. If you are going to purchase soil, consider 3 parts citrus mix with 1 part fine-grain cured compost (e.g., Kellogg's N-Rich). Another option is Kellogg's Patio Mix straight out of the bag. Allow room for 1.5 inches of mulch on top of the soil but 1.5 inches below the rim of the pot.

Just like your bananas, the base of the Babaco trunk will rot if left soggy for too long. However, don't fret: the Babaco is hardier than bananas in this respect. If you potted your plant -- it cannot stay soggy.

The plant wants full sun, but in areas (hello Arizona) that get over 95 F with low humidity it needs 25% shade during the heat of the day. Remember, this plant is not a Carica and is native to highland areas -- not frying hot lowlands. Another location thought: steady seasonal hot winds for multiple hours will permanently bend the plant, especially if it is loaded with fruit. A stake won't help because any strapping will cut deeply into the trunk. Instead consider a location where a fence will back up the plant during that season. If the plant does bend -- oh well, your fruit will still grow to maturity.

If planting in the ground, excavate a hole 2 ft x 2 ft x 2 ft. Make sure it drains. Remove all rocks larger than a golf ball. If your soil is not too sandy or not heavy clay, then just mix 3 parts of your soil with 1 part fine-grained cured compost. If your soil is too sandy, use 3 parts potting soil and 1 part your soil. If your soil is heavy clay, use 1 part your soil, 1 part citrus mix, and 2 parts fine-grained cured compost. Form a basin around your plant and water. Then apply at least 2 inches of mulch over the entire area.

If your bananas like what you feed them and they produce a lot of fruit, then feed that to your babaco plant. Don't start feeding your transplant or rooting until it is pushing out new leafs. I am using a granular Citrus-Avocado food (GroPower brand) rated 8-6-8, or a tropical plant granular rated 8-1-12 (when it is available). In either case, I use 1/4 cup per month for the potted plant and 1 cup per month for the plants in the ground.

My plants in the ground receive 5 gallons of water every 4 days during my summer months.

The growth habit of the Babaco is somewhat like a palm in that as leafs mature they will drop from the plant and new leafs will be generated. Expect leaf drop. Healthy leafs are green and a bit red-veined. In zone 9 when it gets cold there will be extra leaf drop and basically, any time the plant is shocked you will also get leaf drop (so Jackson -- don't go out there in your underwear). The plant is doing fine so long as new growth is pushing out the top.

For details about fruit maturation, see post #1 below.

lorax · 04-01-2008, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lagniappe

Does the Babaco produce papain ?

It does, as do most other members of the Vasconcella (which used to be part of Carica, which is now restricted to just the common Papaya.) In Babaco, the papain action is responsible for the slightly effervescent (fizzy) quality of the fresh juice.

In addtion to what other people have mentioned, it makes a terriffic substitute for apples in crisps, pies, and crumbles.

Richard · 04-03-2008, 02:45 PM

For those who care about taxonomy changes, I've received the following updates from the taxonomy police:

Babaco = Vasconcellea × heilbornii; syn. Carica pentagona

with Vasconcellea × heilbornii = True mountain papaya (Vasconcellea pubescens, syn. Carica pubescens) X Chamburro (Vasconcellea stipulata, syn. Carica stipulata).

I have inserted these updates into post #1 below.

mskitty38583 · 04-05-2008, 04:16 PM

thanks richard! the info has come in handy. before i read this info i went ahead and planted it. gulp,gulp..(every cutting i have ever recieved i dip into the hormone) i moistened the cut end and dipped it in rooting harmone. i planted it in well draining nana dirt and then watered it. glad im a plant freak! it is now sitting in an area that gets great afternoon sun. just a note, when i opened up the package,i smelt the cut end and i got the faintest smell of pineapple. oh it smelled yummy! im so excited to see it grow.

Richard · 04-05-2008, 10:39 PM

so it got a double dose of rooting hormone, once from me and then from you. Given the nature of the plant, it probably will sprout double roots

mskitty38583 · 04-05-2008, 11:50 PM

works for me!

mskitty38583 · 04-09-2008, 07:36 AM

hey richard...just wanted to let you know i have new sprouts at the top of my babaco.they are maybe 1/4 in. tall. will post a few pics later. just thought youd like to know. btw...thanks again!

Richard · 04-09-2008, 12:19 PM

oh yeah ... that's great! This plant is not shy about growing.

mskitty38583 · 04-09-2008, 03:55 PM

i hope not, i have high hopes for this plant. lol!

02-28-2008, 01:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
Richard Hermitian Operator Richard's Photo Gallery Location: NW San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 9+ / 10- Name: Richard Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,370 BananaBucks : 587 Feedback: 4 / 100% Thanks: 356 Thanked 578 Times in 381 Posts Welcomes: 621	Babaco (excerpt from upcoming newsletter publication) The Babaco (Vasconcellea ×heilbornii; syn. Carica pentagona) is a papaya-like plant first introduced into North American gardens by Steve Spangler, founder of Exotica Nursery in Vista CA. It is native to the mountainous regions of equatorial America. The Babaco is widely available in Southern California nurseries during summer months. The plant is incredibly easy to grow in temperate climates. Nursery stock will survive in pots or planted in the ground with regular applications of humic fertilizers. In my experience, modest applications of GroPower 8-6-8 Citrus and Avocado Food seem more than sufficient. In the wild, the plants grow for several years to a height of 15 feet or so, and then break off near the base due to the inability of the stalk to support growth at that height. In cultivation, the plant is grown for 2–4 years to a height of about 5 feet, then cut back near the base for regeneration. The removed stalks can be cut into ~1 foot sections, coated with RootTone® or another rooting compound, and grown into additional plants which will bear viable fruit in 2 years. It is quite cold-hardy for a tropical plant, living through 3 nights of 27 deg-F temperatures in the “freeze of 2007”. When loaded with fruit, the plant does need lateral support to avoid tipping or breaking during a wind storm. The Babaco is a naturally occurring hybrid between the true mountain papaya (Vasconcellea pubescens, syn. Carica pubescens) and the Chamburro (Vasconcellea stipulata, syn. Carica stipulata). It has no seeds, and can correctly be thought of as a “mule”. Its propagation in the wild has been carried out by repeated hybridization and the ability of broken stalks to regenerate in organically rich soils. The fruit of the Babaco begins forming in the spring with the introduction of pseudo flower buds. In southern CA, the first buds fall off but by May begin to take hold and generate fruit. By late summer, the fruits are large, green, and quite solid. The fruit turns almost completely yellow when ripe. In the wild, the natural climes are warm enough for the fruit to ripen by November. However, in coastal or coastal-influenced southern CA, the desired number of degree-days will not be accumulated until the following March or April. Ripe fruit will fall from the plant, taking out the guess-work of harvesting. Piles of peat around the plant will guarantee a soft landing and benefit the culture of the Babaco. The ripe fruit is less sweet than the Caribbean and Strawberry Papayas of the genus Carica. The taste is reminiscent of pineapple and hence the name “Pineapple Papaya” would be an excellent choice when marketing this fruit adjacent to its more common cousins. In my opinion, the ripe fruit is excellent eaten fresh. As a fruit drink it is loved by people of all ages and is outstanding in sorbet. (My wife points out that the possibilities for rum drinks are endless.) The nutritional content of the fruit is quite high – even compared to some of the more popular “healthy” fruits currently taking the market by storm. In recent years, the MinuteMaid® division of the Coca-Cola® Company has introduced a line of tropical fruit drinks containing Passion, Mango, etc. Given the relative ease and low-cost of Babaco production, it would make a fine and enterprising addition to their product line. More photos can be found here: Banana Gallery - Richard's Papaya Album __________________ . . . http://www.plantsthatproduce.com Last edited by Richard : 04-03-2008 at 02:38 PM. Reason: 2006 taxonomy updates

02-28-2008, 01:39 PM	#2 (permalink)
D_&_T 2nd winter growing indoor D_&_T's Photo Gallery Location: Northern Indiana Find me on the map! Zone: 5-6 Name: Dan and Tara Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 705 BananaBucks : 2,963 Feedback: 2 / 100% Thanks: 495 Thanked 105 Times in 93 Posts Welcomes: 176	Re: Babaco sounds good, we are going to large greenhouse to winter plants we would like __________________ Dan & Tara in need of greenhouse

02-28-2008, 10:08 PM	#3 (permalink)
Lagniappe Banana Padawan Lagniappe's Photo Gallery Location: North La Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Name: Pete Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 784 BananaBucks : 7,469 Feedback: 20 / 100% Thanks: 176 Thanked 138 Times in 87 Posts Welcomes: 230	Re: Babaco Does the Babaco produce papain ? __________________ I'm not tipsy ! I'm just not very articulate and maybe a lil tipsy .

03-31-2008, 07:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
Richard Hermitian Operator Richard's Photo Gallery Location: NW San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 9+ / 10- Name: Richard Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,370 BananaBucks : 587 Feedback: 4 / 100% Thanks: 356 Thanked 578 Times in 381 Posts Welcomes: 621	Re: Babaco With the arrival of spring in Southern California, nurseries are beginning to stock Babaco plants, typically near the banana plants and in the same size pots. Elsewhere in far-flung places like Salinas, Texas, and Tennesee -- there are people who have or will receive babaco cuttings very soon now. And so my inbox is full of questions about how to grow them. The bottom 2-3 inches of the cutting should be dipped in rooting hormone -- which is how I ship them because the rooting compound also contains fungicide. The cutting should be planted a depth equal to about 1/3 its length. The plant is not shy about rooting and new leafs should start to push out the top in a few weeks or so -- depending upon the local temperature. You can water it with 1/4 teaspoon of SuperThrive added to a gallon of water one time only. After that, water the cutting without a supplement until it starts pushing out new leafs. In either case, the Babaco can be planted either in the ground or in a pot. You can transplant/root it outside now if the daytime temperatures are above 65 F and the nighttime temps do not dip below 50 F. If you are in USDA zone 9 or higher, you can grow the plant outdoors year-round. It is native to the highlands of central America in zone 10-11. It tolerates frosts but is killed by a hard freeze. If you wish to (or have to) grow it in a pot, a 25 gallon size is sufficient and 50 gallon is unnecessary. For a 25 gallon pot you will need a little over 3 cubic feet of soil for a cutting, and a little less than 3 cu.ft. for a transplant from a 1 gallon pot. If you are going to purchase soil, consider 3 parts citrus mix with 1 part fine-grain cured compost (e.g., Kellogg's N-Rich). Another option is Kellogg's Patio Mix straight out of the bag. Allow room for 1.5 inches of mulch on top of the soil but 1.5 inches below the rim of the pot. Just like your bananas, the base of the Babaco trunk will rot if left soggy for too long. However, don't fret: the Babaco is hardier than bananas in this respect. If you potted your plant -- it cannot stay soggy. The plant wants full sun, but in areas (hello Arizona) that get over 95 F with low humidity it needs 25% shade during the heat of the day. Remember, this plant is not a Carica and is native to highland areas -- not frying hot lowlands. Another location thought: steady seasonal hot winds for multiple hours will permanently bend the plant, especially if it is loaded with fruit. A stake won't help because any strapping will cut deeply into the trunk. Instead consider a location where a fence will back up the plant during that season. If the plant does bend -- oh well, your fruit will still grow to maturity. If planting in the ground, excavate a hole 2 ft x 2 ft x 2 ft. Make sure it drains. Remove all rocks larger than a golf ball. If your soil is not too sandy or not heavy clay, then just mix 3 parts of your soil with 1 part fine-grained cured compost. If your soil is too sandy, use 3 parts potting soil and 1 part your soil. If your soil is heavy clay, use 1 part your soil, 1 part citrus mix, and 2 parts fine-grained cured compost. Form a basin around your plant and water. Then apply at least 2 inches of mulch over the entire area. If your bananas like what you feed them and they produce a lot of fruit, then feed that to your babaco plant. Don't start feeding your transplant or rooting until it is pushing out new leafs. I am using a granular Citrus-Avocado food (GroPower brand) rated 8-6-8, or a tropical plant granular rated 8-1-12 (when it is available). In either case, I use 1/4 cup per month for the potted plant and 1 cup per month for the plants in the ground. My plants in the ground receive 5 gallons of water every 4 days during my summer months. The growth habit of the Babaco is somewhat like a palm in that as leafs mature they will drop from the plant and new leafs will be generated. Expect leaf drop. Healthy leafs are green and a bit red-veined. In zone 9 when it gets cold there will be extra leaf drop and basically, any time the plant is shocked you will also get leaf drop (so Jackson -- don't go out there in your underwear). The plant is doing fine so long as new growth is pushing out the top. For details about fruit maturation, see post #1 below. __________________ . . . http://www.plantsthatproduce.com

04-03-2008, 02:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
Richard Hermitian Operator Richard's Photo Gallery Location: NW San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 9+ / 10- Name: Richard Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,370 BananaBucks : 587 Feedback: 4 / 100% Thanks: 356 Thanked 578 Times in 381 Posts Welcomes: 621	Re: Babaco For those who care about taxonomy changes, I've received the following updates from the taxonomy police: Babaco = Vasconcellea × heilbornii; syn. Carica pentagona with Vasconcellea × heilbornii = True mountain papaya (Vasconcellea pubescens, syn. Carica pubescens) X Chamburro (Vasconcellea stipulata, syn. Carica stipulata). I have inserted these updates into post #1 below. __________________ . . . http://www.plantsthatproduce.com

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04-05-2008, 04:16 PM	#8 (permalink)
mskitty38583 banana junkie mskitty38583 's Photo Gallery Location: sparta, tn. Find me on the map! Zone: 6-7 Name: mskitty Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 3,598 BananaBucks : 16,620 Feedback: 24 / 100% Thanks: 23 Thanked 462 Times in 393 Posts Welcomes: 59	Re: Babaco thanks richard! the info has come in handy. before i read this info i went ahead and planted it. gulp,gulp..(every cutting i have ever recieved i dip into the hormone) i moistened the cut end and dipped it in rooting harmone. i planted it in well draining nana dirt and then watered it. glad im a plant freak! it is now sitting in an area that gets great afternoon sun. just a note, when i opened up the package,i smelt the cut end and i got the faintest smell of pineapple. oh it smelled yummy! im so excited to see it grow. __________________ WELCOME TO THE GATOR NATION "kokomo" beach boys:

04-05-2008, 10:39 PM	#9 (permalink)
Richard Hermitian Operator Richard's Photo Gallery Location: NW San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 9+ / 10- Name: Richard Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,370 BananaBucks : 587 Feedback: 4 / 100% Thanks: 356 Thanked 578 Times in 381 Posts Welcomes: 621	Re: Babaco so it got a double dose of rooting hormone, once from me and then from you. Given the nature of the plant, it probably will sprout double roots __________________ . . . http://www.plantsthatproduce.com

04-05-2008, 11:50 PM	#10 (permalink)
mskitty38583 banana junkie mskitty38583 's Photo Gallery Location: sparta, tn. Find me on the map! Zone: 6-7 Name: mskitty Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 3,598 BananaBucks : 16,620 Feedback: 24 / 100% Thanks: 23 Thanked 462 Times in 393 Posts Welcomes: 59	Re: Babaco works for me! __________________ WELCOME TO THE GATOR NATION "kokomo" beach boys:

04-09-2008, 07:36 AM	#11 (permalink)
mskitty38583 banana junkie mskitty38583 's Photo Gallery Location: sparta, tn. Find me on the map! Zone: 6-7 Name: mskitty Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 3,598 BananaBucks : 16,620 Feedback: 24 / 100% Thanks: 23 Thanked 462 Times in 393 Posts Welcomes: 59	Re: Babaco hey richard...just wanted to let you know i have new sprouts at the top of my babaco.they are maybe 1/4 in. tall. will post a few pics later. just thought youd like to know. btw...thanks again! __________________ WELCOME TO THE GATOR NATION "kokomo" beach boys:

04-09-2008, 12:19 PM	#12 (permalink)
Richard Hermitian Operator Richard's Photo Gallery Location: NW San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 9+ / 10- Name: Richard Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,370 BananaBucks : 587 Feedback: 4 / 100% Thanks: 356 Thanked 578 Times in 381 Posts Welcomes: 621	Re: Babaco oh yeah ... that's great! This plant is not shy about growing. __________________ . . . http://www.plantsthatproduce.com

04-09-2008, 03:55 PM	#13 (permalink)
mskitty38583 banana junkie mskitty38583 's Photo Gallery Location: sparta, tn. Find me on the map! Zone: 6-7 Name: mskitty Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 3,598 BananaBucks : 16,620 Feedback: 24 / 100% Thanks: 23 Thanked 462 Times in 393 Posts Welcomes: 59	Re: Babaco i hope not, i have high hopes for this plant. lol! __________________ WELCOME TO THE GATOR NATION "kokomo" beach boys:

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