Life Span
Annual
Annual and Perennial
Type
Fruit
Tender Perennial
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
India
Types
-
Dianthus chinensis, Dianthus deltoides
Number of Varieties
1300
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
meadows, Waste areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99998-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
9-1
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
A2, A3, H1, 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
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm25.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Pink, Fuchsia
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Needs watering once a week, Requires watering in the growing season
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, 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 damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, organic fertlizers, Water soluble fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Insects
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Double
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
Toxic
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Bouquets, Cottage Garden, Hanging Basket, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Flowers
Other Uses
-
Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
DIANTHUS
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Dianthus, Garden Spice Fuchsia Dianthus
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
Dianthus
In German
Hornmelone
Dianthus
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Dianthus
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Dianthus
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
Dianthus
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Dianthus
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Dianthus
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
Dianthus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Caryophyllaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Dianthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Caryophylleae
Subfamily
-
Caryophylloideae
Number of Species
1300
1
27800
👆🏻