Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Fruit
Origin
Melanesia, Australia
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Types
Umbrella plant
Amate
-
Number of Varieties
10001
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Homesteads, Roadsides, Tropical regions, Woods
Low Elevation, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
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
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
460.00 cm10.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Pink
Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Purple
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Purple
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
reseeds, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water occasionally
Do not water excessively
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
-
Allergy
Dermititis
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Arthritis, Asthma, Headache, Rheumatoid arthritis, Stomach pain
Vermifuge
Part of Plant Used
Root
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Street Trees, Tropical
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
SCHEFFLERA actinophylla
CUCUMIS metuliferus
Common Name
Octopus Tree
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
In Hindi
ऑक्टोपस पेड़
Kiwano Melon
In German
Octopus tree
Hornmelone
In French
arbre Octopus
Cucumis metulifer
In Spanish
árbol pulpo
Cucumis metuliferus
In Greek
χταπόδι δέντρο
Kiwano Melon
In Portuguese
Octopus árvore
pepino africano
In Polish
Ośmiornica drzewo
Ogórek kiwano
In Latin
polypus ligno
Kiwano Melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Apiales
Violales
Family
Araliaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Schefflera
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Aralioideae
-
Number of Species
151
1
27800
👆🏻