Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Grass
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Mexico, South-Central United States, Southeastern United States
Types
-
Dallas Blues grass, Rotstrahlbush grass
Number of Varieties
112
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
Prairies, Roadsides, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12 - 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
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 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Tan, Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Water frequently while growing, Water more frequently during periods of extreme drought
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, Sand
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 when plant is dormant, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Aphids, Ladybug
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Ladybug beetles
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Shelter for wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Whole plant
Other Uses
-
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Container, Edging, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
Panicum virgatum
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Shenandoah grass, switchgrass
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
Shenandoah grass
In German
Hornmelone
Shenandoah grass
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Shenandoah grass
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Shenandoah grass
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
Shenandoah grass
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Shenandoah grass
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Shenandoah grass
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
Shenandoah grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Cyperales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Muhlenbergia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
11
1
27800
👆🏻