Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Epiphyte
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Brazil
Central America, Mexico
Types
Diothonea, Auliza
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Number of Varieties
10003
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forests, Subtropical climates, Terrestrial, Tropical regions, Wet lands
Floodplains, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-157-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
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
15.20 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.30 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Green, Ivory
Yellow, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Fast
Type of Soil
-
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Fall, Winter, Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Cold climate, Humidity
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Stem Planting
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
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
Ample Water
Moderate
In Winter
Ample Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
-
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, light feeding and water solubles, Water soluble fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust, Spider mites, Viruses, Whiteflies
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate, Humidity
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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Insects, Mealybugs, Spider Mites
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Allergy
Asthma
Throat itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, 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
Flowers
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Air freshner, Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
EPIDENDRUM ciliare
MELOTHRIA scabra
Common Name
Epidendrum, Fringed Star Orchid
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
In Hindi
Epidendrum
Mousemelon
In German
Epidendrum
Maus Melone
In French
Epidendrum
Mousemelon
In Spanish
Epidendrum
Mousemelon
In Greek
Epidendrum
πεπόνι ποντίκι
In Portuguese
Epidendrum
melão rato
In Polish
Epidendrum
mysz melona
In Latin
Epidendrum
mouse melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Cucurbitales
Family
Orchidaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Coilostylis
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Epidendreae
Melothrieae
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
150050
1
27800
👆🏻