Life Span
Annual
Annual
Type
Fruit
Vegetable
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Southern Asia
Types
-
Savoy, Giant Noble, Semi-savoy
Number of Varieties
13
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
Fields, gardens, meadows, Suburban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
-
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
-
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Rosette/Stemless
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Yellow, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Tan, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Requires regular watering
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
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Fertilize when new
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Downy mildew, Leafminers, Red blotch, Seedcorn maggot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate, Drought
Flowers
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
Toxic
Food Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Energy, Potassium, Rich in Iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Leaves, Stem
Other Uses
-
Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Container, Edible, Herb, Vegetable
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
SPINACIA oleracea
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Spinach
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
पालक
In German
Hornmelone
Spinat
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Épinards
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Espinacas
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Espinafre
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Szpinak
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
Spinach
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Chenopodiaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Spinacia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Anserineae
Subfamily
-
Chenopodioideae
Number of Species
1800
1
27800
👆🏻