Life Span
Annual
Annual and Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Central America, Mexico
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Canada
Types
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
-
Number of Varieties
38
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Wet forest
Deep, Fertile bottom land, Hilly upland habitat, Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-86-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
8-6
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
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm1,371.60 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Gold
Purple, Burgundy, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Yellow, Green, Yellow green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Yellow, Copper, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oblong
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires little pruning
Fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
Magnesium sulphate, Nitrogen, Phosphate, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate
-
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Throat itching, Vomiting
breathing problems, Dizziness, Itchiness, Nausea, Rash, Stomach pain, Swelling
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin and hair, Skin cleanser
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds
Air purification, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Malaria, Rheumatism, Urine infections, Vomiting
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Making Shampoo, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Mixed Border, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
MELOTHRIA scabra
ASIMINA triloba
Common Name
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
Pawpaw
In Hindi
Mousemelon
गंदा संयंत्र
In German
Maus Melone
Papaya Pflanze
In French
Mousemelon
usine de papaye
In Spanish
Mousemelon
planta de la papaya
In Greek
πεπόνι ποντίκι
φυτό pawpaw
In Portuguese
melão rato
planta mamão
In Polish
mysz melona
pawpaw roślin
In Latin
mouse melon
quince herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Magnoliales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Annonaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Asimina Adans
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Tribe
Melothrieae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
509
1
27800
👆🏻