Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
North America, Mexico, Central America
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Criollo, Forastero, Trinitario
Number of Varieties
803
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Loamy soils, Moist Soils, Subtropical climates
Lowland, Tropical rainforest, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-711-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, 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, H2
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Orange, Dark Green
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Dark Green
Gold, Burgundy, Dark Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Dark Green, Pink, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Dark Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Broad, Unlobed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires regular watering
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season
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, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune to stimulate growth, Prune twice a year, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Apply 12-12-12 amounts, Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potassium
Ammonia sulphate, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Army-worms, Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Blight, Cucumber beetles, Cutworms, Fusarium leaf spot, Red spider mite
Borers, Insects, Phytophthora, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction
Shade areas, Wet Site
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
Bees, Flies, Flying insects
-
Allergy
Hypoglycaemic Coma, Irregular Heart Rhythm, Miscarriage
Diabetes, Diarrhea
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
Acne, For treating wrinkles, Improve hair condition, Nourishes scalp, Removes dandruff
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Insect Repellent
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anti-fungal, Detoxification, Diabetes, Gastrointestinal disorders, Weight loss
Anti-oxidant, Antioxidants, Asthma, Cancer, Cardiovascular problems, constipation, High cholestrol, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Cosmetics, Repellent, Use in Chinese herbology
Employed in herbal medicine, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in making beverages
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Vine
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
CUCURBITA pepo 'Bicolor Pear'
THEOBROMA cacao
Common Name
Bicolor Pear Gourd, Ornamental Gourd
Cacao, Chocolate, Cocoa
In Hindi
करेला
कोको संयंत्र
In German
Bittermelone
Kakaopflanze
In French
Momordica charantia
usine de cacao
In Spanish
Momordica charantia
planta del cacao
In Greek
-
φυτό του κακάο
In Portuguese
Momordica
planta do cacau
In Polish
Przepękla ogórkowata
Kakao roślin
In Latin
-
Cocos herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Spermatophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Malvales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Sterculiaceae
Genus
Momordica
Theobroma
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Theobromeae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Byttneroideae
Number of Species
8022
1
27800
👆🏻