Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
-9999
4-9
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
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
Oval or Rounded
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
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
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
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 pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Erosion control, Wildlife
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Whole plant
Other Uses
-
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
BETULA nigra
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
River Birch
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
River Birch
In German
Hornmelone
Fluss Birch
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Birch river
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
river Birch
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
pepino africano
river Birch
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
Betula
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Betulaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Importance of Kiwano Melon and River Birch
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Kiwano Melon and River Birch. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Kiwano Melon and River Birch as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Kiwano Melon is Vermifuge whereas of River Birch is . Kiwano Melon has beauty benefits as follows: while River Birch has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Kiwano Melon vs River Birch
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Kiwano Melon vs River Birch and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Kiwano Melon are Toxic whereas of River Birch have Asthma respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Kiwano Melon has showy fruits and River Birch has no showy fruits. Also Kiwano Melon is not flowering and River Birch is not flowering . You can compare Kiwano Melon and River Birch facts and facts of other plants too.