Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Tree
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Polynesia
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
180
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
Forest edges, gardens, Homesteads
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
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
H1, H2, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Yellow, Red, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Blue, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Red, Green, Dark Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Red, Green, Dark Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Red, Green, Dark Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Red, Green, Dark Green, Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Compound
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
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
Do Not over Water, Keep ground moist
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
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
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Mites, Nematodes, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
-
-
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Whole plant
Other Uses
-
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
Plerandra elegantissima
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
False Aralia
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
Aralia
In German
Hornmelone
falsch Aralia
In French
Cucumis metulifer
faux Aralia
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Falso Aralia
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
Λάθος Aralia
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Aralia false
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
fałsz Aralia
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
falsum Aralia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Apiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Araliaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Plerandra
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
11
1
27800
👆🏻