Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Perennial
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Europe
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
16
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
dry rocky watercourses
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99993-9
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm71.10 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Blue Violet, Lavender, Purple, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Lanceolate to elliptical
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Rhizome division
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Aphids, Bacterial leaf spot, Billbugs, Borers, Fungal leaf spots
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Butterflies
Allergy
Toxic
Gastric disturbances, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Juice of fresh root used for treatment of dropsy
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Root
Other Uses
-
Making Perfumes, Used as a flavouring in food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
Iris germanica
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
German Iris
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
German Iris
In German
Hornmelone
German Iris
In French
Cucumis metulifer
German Iris
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
German Iris
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
German Iris
In Portuguese
pepino africano
German Iris
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
German Iris
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
German Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Asparagales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Iris
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
1300
1
27800
👆🏻