Shea
7
3
7Will it grow where I live?
Shea is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 12): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. It also needs warm summers – in Central Europe that means wine-growing regions, cities or a sheltered south-facing wall.
Or check it for your location right here:
Profile
- Family
- Sapotaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Height
- 20 m
- Spread
- 9.1 m
- Growth
- medium
- Lifespan
- 300 years
- First yield
- after 15 years
- Hardiness
- zone 12–13
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Soil
- Sand, Silt, Loam
- Soil moisture
- semi-dry – very moist
- pH
- 5.5 – 7.5
Uses
Frequently asked questions
Shea: how big does it get?
Shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) grows as a Tree and reaches roughly 20 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 9.1 m. Growth is medium.
Shea: what site does it need?
Shea tolerates light shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam. Soil moisture should be in the range semi-dry – very moist. The pH may lie between 5.5 and 7.5.
Shea: is it hardy?
Shea is listed as hardy in zone 12–13 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Shea: will it grow in Central Europe?
Shea is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 12): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. It also needs warm summers – in Central Europe that means wine-growing regions, cities or a sheltered south-facing wall.
Shea: is it poisonous?
No toxicity is recorded for Shea. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.
Shea: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 7/10, Medicinal 3/10, Other uses 7/10.
Plan this plant into your own garden
Permaplans plans your garden to scale on the map — with a site check, harvest calendar and over 1,000 plants. Free for iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows & Linux.
Will this plant grow where you live? → Check your site
Community experience
No first-hand reports for this plant yet.
Growing it? Write in the app what works for you – your post will show up here.
💬 Get the app and join in