Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Tree
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Asia, Caribbean, Central America
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
120
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
secondary forest, Tropical Forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99993-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
8-1
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm760.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Light Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Gray Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Yellow green, Sandy Brown, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam
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
Prune in the growing season, pruning needed for strong structure, Remove dead branches
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Compost, High phosphorus
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Aphids, Downy mildew, Leaf rust, Mites, Squirrels
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Salt and Soil Compaction, Sun
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Squirrels
Allergy
Toxic
Nausea, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Anti-ageing, Maintains teeth healthy, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Shelter for wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Antibiotic, anti-cancer, Anti-oxidant, Cardiovascular problems, Diarrhea, Fever, Improve heart health
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Fruits
Other Uses
-
Culinary use, Grown for shade, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
Annona reticulate
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
wild-sweetsop, bullock's-heart, ox-heart
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
ramphal
In German
Hornmelone
Netzannone
In French
Cucumis metulifer
cachiman, cœur de bœuf
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Annona reticulata
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
Ramphal
In Portuguese
pepino africano
coração-de-boi
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Flaszowiec siatkowaty
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
Ramphal
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Magnoliales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Tiliaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Annona
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Tribe
-
Annoneae
Subfamily
-
Annonoideae
Number of Species
1170
1
27800
👆🏻