Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Aquatics
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Eastern Europe, Western Asia
Types
-
Common Cattail, Southern Cattail, Dwarf Bulrush
Number of Varieties
130
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
Lake margins, Ponds, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99993-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-1
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
21,22
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Yellow, Green, Brown, Chocolate
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Light brown, Light Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Long linear and narrow
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, In Water
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Runners
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Plant grows in water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Aquatic Plant
In Spring
Moderate
Aquatic Plant
In Winter
Average Water
Aquatic Plant
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in early spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen, Phosphate
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Flying insects
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Showy Purposes, Water gardening
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Nutrients
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Leaves
Other Uses
-
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Bog Garden, Container, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
TYPHA minima
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Dwarf Cattail
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
बौना कैटेल
In German
Hornmelone
Dwarf Rohrkolben
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Cattail nain
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Espadaña enano
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
Νάνος Cattail
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Tifa Dwarf
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Dwarf Ożypałka
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
Pumilio Cattail
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Poales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Typhaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Typha
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
11
1
27800
👆🏻