Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Tree
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Melanesia, Australia
Types
-
Umbrella plant
Amate
Number of Varieties
11000
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
gardens, Homesteads, Roadsides, Tropical regions, Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-9
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
H1, H2, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm460.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Red, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Red, Purple
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
Red, Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Do Not over Water, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water occasionally
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
Red blotch
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds
Allergy
Toxic
Dermititis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Arthritis, Asthma, Headache, Rheumatoid arthritis, Stomach pain
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Root
Other Uses
-
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
SCHEFFLERA actinophylla
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Octopus Tree
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
ऑक्टोपस पेड़
In German
Hornmelone
Octopus tree
In French
Cucumis metulifer
arbre Octopus
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
árbol pulpo
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
χταπόδι δέντρο
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Octopus árvore
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Ośmiornica drzewo
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
polypus ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Apiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Araliaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Schefflera
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Aralioideae
Number of Species
115
1
27800
👆🏻