Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Africa
America
Types
Perennial
Cucurbita pepo
Number of Varieties
5020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
agricultural areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-10-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Clump-Forming
Bushy, Evergreen
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Heart shaped, toothed with three to five lobes
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Moist, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Pollution, Shade areas, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, 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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
cut main flower spike, Proper mowing practices are necessary, Remove damaged fruit
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Balanced liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks, Compost
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Bacterial Stem Rot, Mildew, Red blotch, Ring Rot, White spots
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shade areas, Shallow soil, Soil Compaction
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Leafminer, Mice, Rodents
Allergy
Skin irritation
Sore Throat, Stomach pain
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
-
Anti-ageing, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Fixes Nitrogen, Food for animals
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antibacterial, Antioxidants, Detoxification, Rich in Potassium, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Root
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Cattle Fodder, Culinary use, Used as a laxative
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Edible, Herb, Vegetable
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
Cucurbita pepo
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Zucchini, courgette
In Hindi
African Iris
तोरी
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Zucchini
In French
African Iris
Courgette
In Spanish
Iris africano
calabacín
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
κολοκύθι
In Portuguese
Iris africano
abobrinha
In Polish
Afryki Iris
Kabaczek
In Latin
African Iris
zucchini
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Violales
Family
Iridaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Dietes
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
-
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
Solanoideae
Number of Species
300-
1
27800
👆🏻