Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Grass
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Southern Europe
Types
-
Arundo, Carrizo
Number of Varieties
15
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
Saline Soils, Sandy areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99996-10
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
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 cm18.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm150.00 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
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Do not prune during shooting season, Prune after harvesting, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
-
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Toxic
allergic conjunctivitis, flushing of face, wheezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Bonsai
Beauty Benefits
-
Making cosmetics, Skin cleanser
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Agroforestry, Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emmoiliant
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
-
Basketary, Showy Purposes, Used in making musical instruments, Wood is used in construction
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Container, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
ARUNDO donax
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Giant Reed
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
नरकट
In German
Hornmelone
Pfahlrohr
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Arundo donax
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Arundo donax
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
Arundo donax
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Cana-do-reino
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Lasecznica trzcinowata
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
Arundo donax
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Cyperales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Arundo
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Commelinids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
13
1
27800
👆🏻