Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Epiphyte
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
North America, Mexico, Central America
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
320
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Swamps
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-13-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
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
Habit
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.60 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Burgundy, Dark Red, Light Green, Violet, Dark Salmon
Yellow, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Fast
Type of Soil
-
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Bulbs, By dividing rhizomes, tubers, Divison
Divison
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Do not water frequently
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Neutral
Soil Type
-
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Borers, Cucumber beetles, Mealybugs, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, pollinators
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bouquets, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Eye Problems
-
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Flowers, Leaves
Fruits
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used as a nutritious food item, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
PROSTHECHEA cochleata
CUCURBITA pepo 'Papaya Pear'
Common Name
Clamshell Orchid, Cockleshell Orchid, Black Orchid
Summer Squash
In Hindi
Clamshell Orchid
summer squash
In German
Clamshell Orchid
Sommerkürbis
In French
Clamshell Orchid
courges d'été
In Spanish
Clamshell Orchid
calabaza de verano
In Greek
Encyclia Cochleata
καλοκαίρι σκουός
In Portuguese
Clamshell Orchid
abobrinha
In Polish
Clamshell Orchid
latem squash
In Latin
Clamshell Orchid
aestas cucurbitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Orchidales
Violales
Family
Orchidaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Prosthechea
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Epidendreae
Cucurbiteae
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
505
1
27800
👆🏻