Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Central America, Mexico
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Cherry laurel, California Bay Laurel, Spotted laurel
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Wet forest
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-85-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
9-6
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
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Gold
White, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Green, Yellow green, Tan, Silver
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Yellow green, Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Grafting, Stem Planting
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
Do Not over Water, occasional watering once established
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
Pruning
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Prune for shortening long shoots, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
fertilize in growing season
Pests and Diseases
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Beetles, Fusarium wilt, Rust, Scab
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate
Drought, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Throat itching, Vomiting
allergic conjunctivitis, Nausea, wheezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
For treating wrinkles, Hair Conditioner, Making cosmetics
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds
Air purification, Indoor Air Purification, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Acne, Cancer, Diarrhea, Emollient, Migraines, Oral health, treating poison ivy
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Flowers, Leaf Stalks, Stem
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Florist trade and landscaping, Making Perfumes, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Feature Plant, Foundation, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
MELOTHRIA scabra
Laurus nobilis
Common Name
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
Sweetbay
In Hindi
Mousemelon
Laurus nobilis
In German
Maus Melone
Echter Lorbeer
In French
Mousemelon
Laurus nobilis
In Spanish
Mousemelon
Laurus nobilis
In Greek
πεπόνι ποντίκι
Laurus nobilis
In Portuguese
melão rato
Loureiro
In Polish
mysz melona
Wawrzyn szlachetny
In Latin
mouse melon
Laurus nobilis
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Laurales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Magnoliaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Laurus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Melothrieae
Epidendreae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Epidendroideae
Number of Species
503
1
27800
👆🏻