Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Herbs
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Mexico, Central America, South America
Types
-
Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants
Number of Varieties
11
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
shrublands, tropical grasslands
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999-9999
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
H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm45.70 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm50.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Green, Light Green, Tan
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
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial 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
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular 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
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
Pest Free
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Flies
Allergy
Toxic
allergic reaction, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Detoxification, Insect Bites, Stomach pain, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
-
Pesticide, The essential oil is used as insect repellent
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Container, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
CHENOPODIUM ambrosioides
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Mexican Tea
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
Dysphania ambrosioides
In German
Hornmelone
Mexikanischer Drüsengänsefuß
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Épazote
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Dysphania ambrosioides
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
Μεξικού τσάι
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Dysphania ambrosioides
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Komosa piżmowa
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
Dysphania ambrosioides
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Chenopodiaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Dysphania
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Dysphanieae
Subfamily
-
Chenopodioideae
Number of Species
130
1
27800
👆🏻