Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Herbaceous Perennial
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Europe, Eastern Europe, Northern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe, Russia, Siberia, Mediterranean, Iraq, Iran, Western Asia
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
14
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
Temperate Regions, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
8-3
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
A2, A3, 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
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm1,150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Light Yellow, Chocolate
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Gray Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Sword-like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer
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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Seedlings, Water-dispersed Seed
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Average Water Needs
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
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly 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
Bacteria, fungus, Viruses
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
-
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Toxic
allergic reaction, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
cathartic, Diarrhea
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Flowers, Rhizomes, Whole plant
Other Uses
-
Used in herbal medicines
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Bog Garden, Container, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
IRIS pseudacorus
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Pale Yellow Iris, Yellow Flag, Yellow Iris
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
Pale Yellow Iris
In German
Hornmelone
Sumpf-Schwertlilie
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Iris pseudacorus
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Iris pseudacorus
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
Pale Yellow Iris
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Pale Yellow Iris
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Kosaciec żółty
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
Pale Yellow Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Asparagales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Iris
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
1260
1
27800
👆🏻