Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Tree
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Northeastern United States, North-Central United States
Types
-
Sugar Maple, Norway Maple, Red Maple
Number of Varieties
115
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
bottomlands, Forests, Moist Soils
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-8
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm3,779.52 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm1,219.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Yellow green, Chartreuse
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Yellow, Red, Orange
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Toothed
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, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
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, Sand
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
-
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Birds
Allergy
Toxic
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Sap, Tree trunks
Other Uses
-
Edible syrup, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
ACER nigrum
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Black Maple
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
Black Maple Tree
In German
Hornmelone
Schwarz Ahorn
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Noir Érable
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Negro del árbol de arce
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
Μαύρο Maple Tree
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Árvore de bordo preto
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Czarny klon
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
White Acer ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Sapindales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Aceraceae
Genus
Cucumis
Acer
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Areceae
Subfamily
-
Hippocastanoideae
Number of Species
110
1
27800
👆🏻