Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Epiphyte
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico
Central America, Mexico
Types
Laelia candida, Laelia discolor
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Number of Varieties
253
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
shaded riverbanks, Subtropical climates
Floodplains, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-117-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A3, 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
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink, Lavender
Yellow, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Dark Blue
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Gray Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Acicular
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Fast
Type of Soil
-
Loam
The pH of Soil
-
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Fall, Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Divison
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs watering once a week
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Slightly Acidic
Neutral
Soil Type
Well-aerated
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove lateral branches
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Use nitrogen rich soil
Compost, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Bacterial leaf spot, Fusarium wilt
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction
Cold climate
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
Aphids, Mites
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Allergy
conjunctivitis, Dermatitis, Skin rash
Throat itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Very little waste
Food for animals, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Prevention of convulsion, Vasorelaxant
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Part of Plant Used
-
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Application in Handicrafts, Making Perfumes, Making Sweet Scented Oil, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
LAELIA anceps
MELOTHRIA scabra
Common Name
Laelia, Orchid
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
In Hindi
Laelia
Mousemelon
In German
Laelia
Maus Melone
In French
Laelia
Mousemelon
In Spanish
Laelia
Mousemelon
In Greek
Laelia
πεπόνι ποντίκι
In Portuguese
Laelia
melão rato
In Polish
Laelia
mysz melona
In Latin
Laelia
mouse melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Orchidales
Cucurbitales
Family
Orchidaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Laelia
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Epidendreae
Melothrieae
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
2550
1
27800
👆🏻