Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Fruit
Origin
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Types
Echinocactus parryi, Echinocactus texensis
-
Number of Varieties
501
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Gravels, Sandy areas
Low Elevation, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-5
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
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
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm10.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Magenta
Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
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, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
reseeds, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
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 leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in summer, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Spider mites
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas
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
Bold
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Insects, Mealybugs, Spider Mites
-
Allergy
Skin cuts
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Very little waste
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Vermifuge
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
ECHINOCACTUS
CUCUMIS metuliferus
Common Name
Golden barrel cactus, Golden ball
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
In Hindi
echinocactus
Kiwano Melon
In German
echinocactus
Hornmelone
In French
echinocactus
Cucumis metulifer
In Spanish
echinocactus
Cucumis metuliferus
In Greek
Echinocactus
Kiwano Melon
In Portuguese
Echinocactus
pepino africano
In Polish
Echinocactus
Ogórek kiwano
In Latin
Echinocactus
Kiwano Melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Violales
Family
Cactaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Echinocactus
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Cacteae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
111
1
27800
👆🏻