Life Span
Annual
Annual, biennial or perennial
Type
Fruit
Tender Perennial
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean
Types
-
Lavatera Trimestris, Lavatera Thuringiaca, Lavatera Arborea
Number of Varieties
125
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
Cliffs, Maritime Rocks
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99998-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
10-8
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
H1, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm210.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Pink, Violet, Plum
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Green, Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Orbicular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Water deeply about once a week
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
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
Pinching, Shearing, Thinning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Water soluble fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Pests and diseases free
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Toxic
allergic reaction, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Poultice
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Leaves
Other Uses
-
Used in chopped mixed salad
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Wildflower
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
LAVATERA arborea
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Tree Mallow
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
Tree Mallow
In German
Hornmelone
Baum Mallow
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Arbre Mallow
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
árbol de la malva
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
δέντρο Μολόχα
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Mallow
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
drzewo Mallow
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
ligno malvae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Malvales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Malvaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Lavatera
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Malveae
Subfamily
-
Malvoideae
Number of Species
130
1
27800
👆🏻