Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Flowering Plants, Herbs
Origin
North America, Mexico, Central America
Hybrid origin
Types
Not Available
Not Available
Habitat
Loamy soils, Moist Soils, Subtropical climates
moist forests, Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-7
4-9
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, 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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Yellow, Orange, Dark Green
Purple, Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Dark Green
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Not Available
Green
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Pinnate
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Summer
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires regular watering
Needs very little water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Cut out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Apply 12-12-12 amounts, Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Compost
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Army-worms, Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Blight, Cucumber beetles, Cutworms, Fusarium leaf spot, Red spider mite
Nematodes, Red blotch, Trunk Rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Attracts
Bees, Flies, Flying insects
Butterflies, Leaf Hoppers
Allergy
Hypoglycaemic Coma, Irregular Heart Rhythm, Miscarriage
Itchiness, Not Available, Sore Throat
Aesthetic Uses
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
Acne, For treating wrinkles, Improve hair condition, Nourishes scalp, Removes dandruff
Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes, Removes pimples
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Insect Repellent
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, soil stabilisation
Medicinal Uses
Anti-fungal, Detoxification, Diabetes, Gastrointestinal disorders, Weight loss
Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Cosmetics, Repellent, Use in Chinese herbology
Added to salads, Can be boiled and seasoned, pickled, Culinary use
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Vine
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
CUCURBITA pepo 'Bicolor Pear'
Averrhoa bilimbi
Common Name
Bicolor Pear Gourd, Ornamental Gourd
Bilimbi, Mimbro
In German
Bittermelone
bilimbi
In French
Momordica charantia
bilimbi
In Spanish
Momordica charantia
bilimbi
In Greek
Not Available
bilimbi
In Portuguese
Momordica
bilimbi
In Polish
Przepękla ogórkowata
bilimbi
In Latin
Not Available
Rondo Beardtongue
Phylum
Spermatophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Oxalidales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Oxalidaceae
Clade
Not Available
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Not Available
Not Available
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Not Available
Season and Care of Bitter Gourd and Bilimbi
Season and care of Bitter Gourd and Bilimbi is important to know. While considering everything about Bitter Gourd and Bilimbi Care, growing season is an essential factor. Bitter Gourd season is Summer and Fall and Bilimbi season is Summer and Fall. The type of soil for Bitter Gourd is Loam, Sand and for Bilimbi is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Bitter Gourd is Neutral and for Bilimbi is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline.
Bitter Gourd and Bilimbi Physical Information
Bitter Gourd and Bilimbi physical information is very important for comparison. Bitter Gourd height is 60.00 cm and width 90.00 cm whereas Bilimbi height is 38.10 cm and width 25.40 cm. The color specification of Bitter Gourd and Bilimbi are as follows:
Bitter Gourd flower color: Yellow, Orange and Dark Green
Bitter Gourd leaf color: Green, Dark Green
Bilimbi flower color: Purple, Pink and Lavender
- Bilimbi leaf color: Green
Care of Bitter Gourd and Bilimbi
Care of Bitter Gourd and Bilimbi include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Bitter Gourd pruning is done Cut out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering and Remove dead or diseased plant parts and Bilimbi pruning is done cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves. In summer Bitter Gourd needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Bilimbi needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.