Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable, Vines
Origin
North America, South America, Brazil
North America, Mexico, Central America
Types
Peanut cactus
Winter squash, Field pumpkin, Crookneck pumpkin
Number of Varieties
1288
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Sandy areas, Semi desert
close to waterfalls, Riverbanks, Warmer regions, waterways, Wet ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-151-6
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
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
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm91.44 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.20 cm609.60 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange Red
Orange Red, Yellow Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
-
Early Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Less Watering
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
prune leaves so as to circulate fresh air, Remove Vines
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, fertilize in summer, Potassium
Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Scale
Gray leaf blight, Scab
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Salt and Soil Compaction
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Hummingbirds
Beetles, Bugs
Allergy
Skin cuts
Asthma, breathing problems, Itchiness, Swelling in the face
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin and hair, Skin cleanser, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure, Wounds
Anemia, Antibacterial, anti-cancer, cholesterol-lowering, High blood pressure, Immunity, Prevention of convulsion, Regulates Blood Sugar
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in salads
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
ECHINOPSIS
CUCURBITA moschata 'Long Island Cheese'
Common Name
Hedgehog Cactus, Sea urchin cactus
Long Island Cheese Pumpkin, Winter Pumpkin
In Hindi
हाथी कैक्टस
चीनी कद्दू
In German
Igel Kaktus
chinesisch Kürbis
In French
hérisson cactus
potiron chinois
In Spanish
cactus de erizo
calabaza china
In Greek
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
κινέζικο κολοκύθα
In Portuguese
hedgehog cactus
abóbora chinês
In Polish
jeż kaktus
Chiński dyni
In Latin
cactus
Chinese cucurbita
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Violales
Family
Cactaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Echinopsis
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Trichocereeae
Cucurbiteae
Subfamily
Cactoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
20009
1
27800
👆🏻