Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Origin
North America, Mexico, Central America
Melanesia, Australia
Types
-
Umbrella plant
Amate
Habitat
Loamy soils, Moist Soils, Subtropical climates
gardens, Homesteads, Roadsides, Tropical regions, Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-7
10-15
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
H1, H2, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
Yellow, Orange, Dark Green
Red, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Dark Green
Red, Purple
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Red, Purple
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Elliptic
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires regular watering
Do Not over Water, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water occasionally
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Cut out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
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
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Army-worms, Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Blight, Cucumber beetles, Cutworms, Fusarium leaf spot, Red spider mite
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Attracts
Bees, Flies, Flying insects
Birds
Allergy
Hypoglycaemic Coma, Irregular Heart Rhythm, Miscarriage
Dermititis
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Acne, For treating wrinkles, Improve hair condition, Nourishes scalp, Removes dandruff
-
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Insect Repellent
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Anti-fungal, Detoxification, Diabetes, Gastrointestinal disorders, Weight loss
Arthritis, Asthma, Headache, Rheumatoid arthritis, Stomach pain
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Root
Other Uses
Cosmetics, Repellent, Use in Chinese herbology
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
CUCURBITA pepo 'Bicolor Pear'
SCHEFFLERA actinophylla
Common Name
Bicolor Pear Gourd, Ornamental Gourd
Octopus Tree
In Hindi
करेला
ऑक्टोपस पेड़
In German
Bittermelone
Octopus tree
In French
Momordica charantia
arbre Octopus
In Spanish
Momordica charantia
árbol pulpo
In Greek
-
χταπόδι δέντρο
In Portuguese
Momordica
Octopus árvore
In Polish
Przepękla ogórkowata
Ośmiornica drzewo
Phylum
Spermatophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Araliaceae
Genus
Momordica
Schefflera
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Aralioideae
Season and Care of Bitter Gourd and Octopus Tree
Season and care of Bitter Gourd and Octopus Tree is important to know. While considering everything about Bitter Gourd and Octopus Tree Care, growing season is an essential factor. Bitter Gourd season is Summer and Fall and Octopus Tree season is Summer and Fall. The type of soil for Bitter Gourd is Loam, Sand and for Octopus Tree is Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Bitter Gourd is Neutral and for Octopus Tree is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline.
Bitter Gourd and Octopus Tree Physical Information
Bitter Gourd and Octopus Tree physical information is very important for comparison. Bitter Gourd height is 60.00 cm and width 90.00 cm whereas Octopus Tree height is 610.00 cm and width 460.00 cm. The color specification of Bitter Gourd and Octopus Tree are as follows:
Bitter Gourd flower color: Yellow, Orange and Dark Green
Bitter Gourd leaf color: Green, Dark Green
Octopus Tree flower color: Red and Pink
- Octopus Tree leaf color: Green and Light Green
Care of Bitter Gourd and Octopus Tree
Care of Bitter Gourd and Octopus Tree 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 Octopus Tree pruning is done 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 Octopus Tree needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.