Life Span
Annual
Annual
Type
Fruit
Tender Perennial
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Madagascar
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
150
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
subtropical regions, Tropical areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99999-15
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
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
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm25.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Red, Pink, Peach
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Elliptic and Ovate
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, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Do not water excessively, Needs less watering, Needs small amount of water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
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 damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
aster yellow, Leaf spot, Red blotch, Root rot, Slugs, Snails, Stem rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Pollution, Salt
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Butterflies
Allergy
Toxic
Toxic if not prepared properly
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover, Hanging Basket, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Cancer, Diabetes, Hodgkin's lymphoma., Leukemia, Sore throat
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Flowering Tips, Leaves, stalk
Other Uses
-
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Traditional medicine, Use in Chinese herbology
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Bedding Plant, Container, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
CATHARANTHUS roseus
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Cooler Apricot Vinca, Madagascar Periwinkle, Vinca
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
Vinca
In German
Hornmelone
Rosafarbene Catharanthe
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Pervenche de Madagascar
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Catharanthus roseus
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
Catharanthus roseus
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Catharanthus roseus
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Katarantus różowy
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
Catharanthus roseus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Gentianales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Catharanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Vicieae
Subfamily
-
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
18
1
27800
👆🏻