Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Shrub
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
North America, United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, Canada
Types
-
Blue False Indigo
White False Indigo
Number of Varieties
12
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
gardens, Grassland, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99992-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
8-1
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
A1, A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Purple
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Light Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Average Water Needs
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
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
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
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
Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
AMORPHA canescens
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
False Indigo
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
इंडिगो
In German
Hornmelone
falsches Indigo
In French
Cucumis metulifer
faux Indigo
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Falso Indigo
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
Λάθος Indigo
In Portuguese
pepino africano
false Indigo
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
fałsz Indigo
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
falsum indicum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Violales
Fabales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Amorpha
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
121
1
27800
👆🏻