Life Span
Annual
Annual, biennial or perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
Central America, Mexico
Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean
Types
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Lavatera Trimestris, Lavatera Thuringiaca, Lavatera Arborea
Number of Varieties
325
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Wet forest
Cliffs, Maritime Rocks
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-88-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
10-8
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, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm210.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Gold
Pink, Violet, Plum
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Green, Tan
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
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Orbicular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Summer
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Divison, Seedlings
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
Water deeply about once a week
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
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
Pinching, Shearing, Thinning
Fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
Water soluble fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Pests and diseases free
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate
Drought
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
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Throat itching, Vomiting
allergic reaction, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds
Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Poultice
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used in chopped mixed salad
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Wildflower
Botanical Name
MELOTHRIA scabra
LAVATERA arborea
Common Name
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
Tree Mallow
In Hindi
Mousemelon
Tree Mallow
In German
Maus Melone
Baum Mallow
In French
Mousemelon
Arbre Mallow
In Spanish
Mousemelon
árbol de la malva
In Greek
πεπόνι ποντίκι
δέντρο Μολόχα
In Portuguese
melão rato
Mallow
In Polish
mysz melona
drzewo Mallow
In Latin
mouse melon
ligno malvae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Malvales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Malvaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Lavatera
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Melothrieae
Malveae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Malvoideae
Number of Species
5030
1
27800
👆🏻