Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
North America, Mexico, Central America
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
8050
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Loamy soils, Moist Soils, Subtropical climates
agricultural areas, Loamy soils, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-710-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-1
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, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Orange, Dark Green
Fuchsia
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Oval Cordate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions, Soil Compaction, Sun
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires regular watering
Do not let dry out between waterings, Do not water the foliage
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
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Partial shade
Pruning
Cut out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
A hard prune may be necessary if the plant becomes woody, Cut upper 1/3 section when young to enhancegrowth
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Apply 12-12-12 amounts, Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potassium
Fertilize every three months
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Army-worms, Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Blight, Cucumber beetles, Cutworms, Fusarium leaf spot, Red spider mite
Bacteria, Birds, Fungal Diseases, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction
Dry Conditions, Full Sun, Salt and 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
Coarse
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flies, Flying insects
Beetles, Bugs, Insects
Allergy
Hypoglycaemic Coma, Irregular Heart Rhythm, Miscarriage
Acidic, allergic conjunctivitis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Hanging Basket, Landscape Designing
Beauty Benefits
Acne, For treating wrinkles, Improve hair condition, Nourishes scalp, Removes dandruff
Makes Hair Silkier, Making cosmetics
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Insect Repellent
Forms dense stands, Provides ground cover, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anti-fungal, Detoxification, Diabetes, Gastrointestinal disorders, Weight loss
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Leaves, Stem
Other Uses
Cosmetics, Repellent, Use in Chinese herbology
Air freshner, Cosmetics, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Vine
Bedding Plant, Container, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CUCURBITA pepo 'Bicolor Pear'
HETEROCENTRON elegans
Common Name
Bicolor Pear Gourd, Ornamental Gourd
Spanish Shawl
In Hindi
करेला
Heterocentron
In German
Bittermelone
Heterocentron
In French
Momordica charantia
Heterocentron
In Spanish
Momordica charantia
Heterocentron
In Greek
-
Heterocentron
In Portuguese
Momordica
Heterocentron
In Polish
Przepękla ogórkowata
Heterocentron
In Latin
-
Heterocentron
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Spermatophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Myrtales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Melastomataceae
Genus
Momordica
Heterocentron
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Abreae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
80200
1
27800
👆🏻