Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
North America, South America, Brazil
America
Types
Peanut cactus
Cucurbita pepo
Number of Varieties
12820
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Sandy areas, Semi desert
agricultural areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
-
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Upright/Erect
Bushy, Evergreen
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.20 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange Red
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Heart shaped, toothed with three to five lobes
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
-
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Moist, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Drought, Pollution, Shade areas, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Do not water excessively
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Less Watering
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
cut main flower spike, Proper mowing practices are necessary, Remove damaged fruit
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, fertilize in summer, Potassium
Balanced liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks, Compost
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Scale
Bacterial Stem Rot, Mildew, Red blotch, Ring Rot, White spots
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Shade areas, Shallow soil, Soil Compaction
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
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Leafminer, Mice, Rodents
Allergy
Skin cuts
Sore Throat, Stomach pain
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
-
Anti-ageing, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
Fixes Nitrogen, Food for animals
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure, Wounds
Antibacterial, Antioxidants, Detoxification, Rich in Potassium, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Cattle Fodder, Culinary use, Used as a laxative
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Edible, Herb, Vegetable
Botanical Name
ECHINOPSIS
Cucurbita pepo
Common Name
Hedgehog Cactus, Sea urchin cactus
Zucchini, courgette
In Hindi
हाथी कैक्टस
तोरी
In German
Igel Kaktus
Zucchini
In French
hérisson cactus
Courgette
In Spanish
cactus de erizo
calabacín
In Greek
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
κολοκύθι
In Portuguese
hedgehog cactus
abobrinha
In Polish
jeż kaktus
Kabaczek
In Latin
cactus
zucchini
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Violales
Family
Cactaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Echinopsis
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
-
Tribe
Trichocereeae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
Solanoideae
Number of Species
2000-
1
27800
👆🏻