Life Span
Annual
Biennial
Type
Vegetable
Bulb, Flowering Plants
Origin
Central America, Mexico
World/Pandemic, Europe, Asia
Types
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Crocus tommasinianus, Crocus etruscus, Crocus vernus, Crocus cambessedesii
Number of Varieties
350
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Wet forest
gardens, Grassland, open Woodlands, orchards, Pastures, tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-82-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
10 - 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
21,22
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Gold
Red, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Drought, Salt, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
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, 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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, 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 to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Requires high amount of nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Insects, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate
-
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Flying insects
Allergy
Throat itching, Vomiting
Diarrhea, Nausea, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds
Air purification, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Stem
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Decoration Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
-
Botanical Name
MELOTHRIA scabra
CARDUUS nutans
Common Name
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
Musk Thistle, Nodding Thistle
In Hindi
Mousemelon
कस्तूरी थीस्ल
In German
Maus Melone
Nickende Distel
In French
Mousemelon
Musk Thistle
In Spanish
Mousemelon
Cardo de almizcle
In Greek
πεπόνι ποντίκι
musk Thistle
In Portuguese
melão rato
musk Thistle
In Polish
mysz melona
Musk Thistle
In Latin
mouse melon
Carduus MOSCHUS
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Asterales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Cucumis
Carduus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Melothrieae
Cynareae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Carduoideae
Number of Species
50200
1
27800
👆🏻