Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Sedge or Rush
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Africa
Types
-
C. papyrus, C. papyrus 'Nanus
Number of Varieties
12
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
Lakes, Shores of rivers or lakes, sluggish streams and rivers, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99997-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-7
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, 16, 17, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Grass like
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Average Water Needs, Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly 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 branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
fungus
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
-
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Flying insects, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Cancer, Heals minor burns, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Stem
Other Uses
-
Constructing Boats, Used as fuel, Used in paper industry
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
CYPERUS 'Wild Spike'
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Papyrus, Wild Spike Cyperus
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
पेपिरस संयंत्र
In German
Hornmelone
ägyptischen Papyrus-Pflanze
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Papyrus égyptien
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Papiro egipcio
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
αιγυπτιακό πάπυρο
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Papiro egípcio
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Papiro egipcio
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
CHARTA
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Agaricomycetes
Order
Violales
Poales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Cyperaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Cyperus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Cariceae
Subfamily
-
Cyperoideae
Number of Species
11
1
27800
👆🏻