Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Central America, Mexico
Eastern Asia, India
Types
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
-
Number of Varieties
3-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Wet forest
Temperate Regions, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-810-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
-
Sunset Zone
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
H1, H2, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm12.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Gold
Yellow, Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
Pink
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Dry soil, Heat Tolerance
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Grafting, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Ample Water
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
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
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
fertilize in fall, fertilize in spring, fertilize in summer, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Root rot, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate
Drought, Dry soil, Heat Tolerance
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Insects
Allergy
Throat itching, Vomiting
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Bonsai, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds
Air purification, Erosion control, Food for insects, Very little waste, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Air freshner, Showy Purposes, Traditional medicine, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Container, Foundation, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
MELOTHRIA scabra
EUPHORBIA lactea
Common Name
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
Mottled Spurge, Frilled Fan, Elkhorn
In Hindi
Mousemelon
Elkhorn
In German
Maus Melone
Elkhorn
In French
Mousemelon
Elkhorn
In Spanish
Mousemelon
cuerno de alce
In Greek
πεπόνι ποντίκι
Elkhorn
In Portuguese
melão rato
Elkhorn
In Polish
mysz melona
Elkhorn
In Latin
mouse melon
Elkhorn
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Malpighiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Euphorbia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Melothrieae
Euphorbieae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Euphorbioideae
Number of Species
501
1
27800
👆🏻