Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Shrub
Vegetable
Origin
Southwestern United States, Mexico
Central America, Mexico
Types
-
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Number of Varieties
53
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Canyons, Rocky areas, Scrubs, Woods
Floodplains, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-107-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-5
12-1
Sunset Zone
-
A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
91.40 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
91.40 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
Yellow, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Olive
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Olive
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Cylindrical
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Does not require lot of watering
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, 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
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Prune to control growth, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate
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
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Allergy
Asthma, breathing problems
Throat itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Part of Plant Used
-
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
ERICAMERIA laricifolia
MELOTHRIA scabra
Common Name
Turpentine bush
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
In Hindi
एगुएर
Mousemelon
In German
Aguirre
Maus Melone
In French
Aguirre
Mousemelon
In Spanish
Aguirre
Mousemelon
In Greek
Αγκίρε
πεπόνι ποντίκι
In Portuguese
Aguirre
melão rato
In Polish
Aguirre
mysz melona
In Latin
Aguirre
mouse melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Cucurbitales
Family
Asteraceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Ericameria
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Astereae
Melothrieae
Subfamily
Barnadesioideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
-50
1
27800
👆🏻