Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Shrub
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
12
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99998-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
11-7
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, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Brown, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
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
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
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
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
-
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Hummingbirds
Allergy
Toxic
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Borders
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
-
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
ERYTHRINA herbacea
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
Red Cardinal
In German
Hornmelone
Red Cardinal
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Cardinal rouge
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Cárdenas
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Cardeal vermelho
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Red Cardinal
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
Cardinalis Rubrum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Fabales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Erythrina
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Phaseoleae
Subfamily
-
Faboideae
Number of Species
110
1
27800
👆🏻