Life Span
Annual
Annual
Type
Fruit
Vegetable
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Europe
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
15
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
agricultural areas, Moist Soils
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
9-3
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
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
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm15.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Sienna, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
White, Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
White, Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
White, Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Do not water the foliage, Keep the Soil well drained
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
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 dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
8-8-8, since leafy plants, use higher nitrogen content fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Aphids, Beetles, Cabbage looper, Downy mildew, Fusarium leaf spot, Rust
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Full Sun, Humidity, Shallow soil
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Caterpillar, Mites
Allergy
Toxic
Diarrhea, Dizziness, Nausea
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Anti-ageing, Hair Conditioner, Skin cleanser
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Fixes Nitrogen, Food for animals
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Aging, Anti-oxidant, Digestion problems, Eliminate toxins, Nutritive, Obesity, Rich in Potassium
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
-
Culinary use, Sauces, Used to promote healthy blood flow during menstruation
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Wildflower
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
BRASSICA rapa( Chinensis Group)
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Bok Choy, Chinese Cabbage, Choy Sum, Pak Choi
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
choy sum
In German
Hornmelone
choy sum
In French
Cucumis metulifer
choy sum
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
choy sum
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
choy sum
In Portuguese
pepino africano
choy sum
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
choy sum
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
choy sum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Capparales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Brassicaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Brassica
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
118
1
27800
👆🏻