Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Flowering Plants
Fruit
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
Low Elevation, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
-9999
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
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
Flower Color
Crimson
Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Heart-shaped
Plant Season
Summer
Summer, Fall
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
reseeds, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
Do not water excessively
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Vermifuge
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
-
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
CUCUMIS metuliferus
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
Kiwano Melon
In German
Kracher penstemon
Hornmelone
In French
Firecracker penstemon
Cucumis metulifer
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
Cucumis metuliferus
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
Kiwano Melon
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
pepino africano
In Polish
petarda penstemon
Ogórek kiwano
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
Kiwano Melon
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Season and Care of Firecracker Penstemon and Kiwano Melon
Season and care of Firecracker Penstemon and Kiwano Melon is important to know. While considering everything about Firecracker Penstemon and Kiwano Melon Care, growing season is an essential factor. Firecracker Penstemon season is Summer and Kiwano Melon season is Summer. The type of soil for Firecracker Penstemon is Loam, Sand and for Kiwano Melon is Loam while the PH of soil for Firecracker Penstemon is Neutral, Alkaline and for Kiwano Melon is Neutral, Alkaline.
Firecracker Penstemon and Kiwano Melon Physical Information
Firecracker Penstemon and Kiwano Melon physical information is very important for comparison. Firecracker Penstemon height is 61.00 cm and width 25.40 cm whereas Kiwano Melon height is 240.00 cm and width 10.00 cm. The color specification of Firecracker Penstemon and Kiwano Melon are as follows:
Firecracker Penstemon flower color: Crimson
Firecracker Penstemon leaf color: Green
Kiwano Melon flower color: Lemon yellow
- Kiwano Melon leaf color: Green
Care of Firecracker Penstemon and Kiwano Melon
Care of Firecracker Penstemon and Kiwano Melon include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Firecracker Penstemon pruning is done No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves and Remove deadheads and Kiwano Melon pruning is done Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves. In summer Firecracker Penstemon needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Kiwano Melon needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.