Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Fruit
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Europe, Central Asia, Western Asia
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
115
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
Fertile bottom land, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
8-3
Sunset Zone
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
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Green, Purple
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Palmately Lobed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
10-10-10 diluted liquid fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Aphids, Earwigs, Insects, Mildew, Red blotch, Rust, sawflies
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds
Allergy
Toxic
Asthma, Eczema, Food Allergy, Hives
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Potassium, Rich in Iron, Vitamin B, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
-
Traditional medicine, Used as a nutritious food item, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
RIBES nigrum
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Black Currant
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
Black Currant
In German
Hornmelone
Black Currant
In French
Cucumis metulifer
groseille noire
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
negro Grosella
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
μαύρη σταφίδα
In Portuguese
pepino africano
groselha-preta
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
czarna porzeczka
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
nigrum currants
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Rosales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Grossulariaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Ribes
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1150
1
27800
👆🏻