Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Flowering Plants
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Southwestern United States, California
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
Dry areas, meadows
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
4-9
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
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
Light Green
-
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oblong
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Summer
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
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
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Insects
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Whole plant
Other Uses
-
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
PENSTEMON eatonii
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Firecracker Penstemon
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
Firecracker penstemon
In German
Hornmelone
Kracher penstemon
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Firecracker penstemon
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Penstemon del petardo
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Penstemon do foguete
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
petarda penstemon
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
Firecracker Persicaria
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Importance of Kiwano Melon and Firecracker Penstemon
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Kiwano Melon and Firecracker Penstemon. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Kiwano Melon and Firecracker Penstemon as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Kiwano Melon is Vermifuge whereas of Firecracker Penstemon is Burns, Snakebite and Stomach aliments. Kiwano Melon has beauty benefits as follows: while Firecracker Penstemon has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Kiwano Melon vs Firecracker Penstemon
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Kiwano Melon vs Firecracker Penstemon and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Kiwano Melon are Toxic whereas of Firecracker Penstemon have Asthma respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Kiwano Melon has showy fruits and Firecracker Penstemon has no showy fruits. Also Kiwano Melon is not flowering and Firecracker Penstemon is not flowering . You can compare Kiwano Melon and Firecracker Penstemon facts and facts of other plants too.