Life Span
Annual
-
Type
Fruit
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
120
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
Desert, Dry areas, Rocky areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99999-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-8
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
10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Hot Pink, Rose, Bronze
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
-
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings
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
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Red blotch, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Dry Conditions, Heat Tolerance, Sun
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Borders, Decorating walls
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Stem
Other Uses
-
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
CYLINDROPUNTIA fulgida
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
hanging chain cholla
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
jumping cholla
In German
Hornmelone
jumping cholla
In French
Cucumis metulifer
jumping cholla
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
jumping cholla
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
jumping cholla
In Portuguese
pepino africano
jumping cholla
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
jumping cholla
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
jumping cholla
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Cylindropuntia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
120
1
27800
👆🏻