Life Span
Annual
Annual and Perennial
Type
Fruit
Tender Perennial
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Brazil
Types
-
Yellow Bloodleaf, Herbst's Bloodleaf, Standley's Bloodleaf
Number of Varieties
170
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999911-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-1
Sunset Zone
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
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm15.24 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm20.32 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Softwood cuttings, Stem Cutting, Tip cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
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
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove branches that rub together, Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Balanced liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
-
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Insects, Wildlife
Allergy
Toxic
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Indoor Air Purification, Provides ground cover
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Leaves
Other Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
IRESINE herbstii
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Bloodleaf, Herbst's bloodleaf
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
Bloodleaf Plant
In German
Hornmelone
Bloodleaf Pflanze
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Feuillesang Plante
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Planta Sangrienta
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
Bloodleaf φυτών
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Bloodleaf Planta
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Bloodleaf roślin
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
Planta Bloodleaf
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Amaranthaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Iresine
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Gomphreneae
Subfamily
-
Gomphrenoideae
Number of Species
170
1
27800
👆🏻