Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Fruit
Origin
Southern Africa
Africa
Types
Perennial
C melo subsp melo
Number of Varieties
505
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
gardens, Temperate Regions, Terrestrial
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-10-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
12-4
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
White, Yellow, Light Yellow, Gold, Tan, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Do Not over Water, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Never Over-water, Requires a lot of watering, 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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Remove Vines
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Red blotch
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
Abdominal pain, breathing problems, Diarrhea, Dizziness, Nausea, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
anti-cancer, Antioxidants, Cardiovascular problems, Combats Stress, Eye Problems, Immunity, Insomnia
Part of Plant Used
Root
Fruits
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Economic Purpose, Employed in herbal medicine, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
CUCUMIS melo
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Cantaloupe, Casaba Melon, Honey Dew, Melon, Muskmelon
In Hindi
African Iris
खरबूजा
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Cantaloup Melone
In French
African Iris
Cantaloup
In Spanish
Iris africano
Cantalupo
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
Πεπονάκι
In Portuguese
Iris africano
Cantalupo
In Polish
Afryki Iris
Kantalupa
In Latin
African Iris
cantaloupe
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Cucurbitales
Family
Iridaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Dietes
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Irideae
Melothrieae
Subfamily
Iridoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
3002
1
27800
👆🏻