Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Perennial, Shrub
Fruit
Origin
Northwestern United States, Canada
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Types
sharpleaf penstemon, white-margined beardtongue, lowland beardtongue
-
Number of Varieties
781
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
foothill woods, High elevation, Open areas, Rocky areas
Low Elevation, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-5
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15
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
Mat-forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.72 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
40.64 cm10.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple
Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Narrow and lance shape
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
reseeds, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs less watering, Requires regular watering, 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
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Asthma, Pollen
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Recovering internal injuries, Wounds
Vermifuge
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Container, Used as Ornamental plant, Veterinarian uses
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Alpine, Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON fruticosus 'Purple Haze'
CUCUMIS metuliferus
Common Name
Bush Penstemon, Shrubby Penstemon
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
In Hindi
Bush Penstemon
Kiwano Melon
In German
Bush Penstemon
Hornmelone
In French
Bush Penstemon
Cucumis metulifer
In Spanish
Bush Penstemon
Cucumis metuliferus
In Greek
Μπους Penstemon
Kiwano Melon
In Portuguese
Bush, Penstemon
pepino africano
In Polish
Bush Penstemon
Ogórek kiwano
In Latin
Persicaria Bush
Kiwano Melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Scrophulariales
Violales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
2501
1
27800
👆🏻