Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Fruit
Origin
Brazil
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
31
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Mountains, Humid climates
Low Elevation, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 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
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm10.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Orange, Pink, Salmon
Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Pink
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Toothed
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
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
Fall, Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Stem Planting, Transplanting
reseeds, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water
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
Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
Semi-Double
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
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
Eye irritation, sneezing
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Vermifuge
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Christmas Tree, Used as Ornamental plant
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Hanging Basket, Houseplant, Tropical
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
SCHLUMBERGERA truncata
CUCUMIS metuliferus
Common Name
False Christmas Cactus
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
In Hindi
False Christmas Cactus
Kiwano Melon
In German
False Christmas Cactus
Hornmelone
In French
Cactus de Noël
Cucumis metulifer
In Spanish
cactus de navidad
Cucumis metuliferus
In Greek
False Christmas Cactus
Kiwano Melon
In Portuguese
flor de maio
pepino africano
In Polish
Szlumbergera ucięta
Ogórek kiwano
In Latin
False Christmas Cactus
Kiwano Melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Violales
Family
Cactaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Schlumbergera
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Rhipsalideae
-
Subfamily
Cactoideae
-
Number of Species
11
1
27800
👆🏻