Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Fruit
Origin
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
-
Types
-
Fruit
Number of Varieties
1300
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Low Elevation, Woodlands
Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-8
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
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Red, Dark Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Simple lobed or unlobed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
reseeds, Seedlings
Semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Keep ground moist, Use Mulches to help prevent water loss during hot and windy weather
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
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Birds
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single, Double
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds
Allergy
Toxic
Anaphylaxis, gastro-intestinal problems, Itchiness, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Bouquets, Informal Hedge, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
anti-inflammatory, Anti-oxidant, Gout, Insomnia, Soothing and relieving pain
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
-
Air freshner, Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, Cake, Edible syrup, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used to make juice
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
CUCUMIS metuliferus
PRUNUS cerasus
Common Name
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
Pie Cherry, Sour Cherry, Tart Cherry
In Hindi
Kiwano Melon
Sour cherry
In German
Hornmelone
Sauerkirsche
In French
Cucumis metulifer
Prunus cerasus
In Spanish
Cucumis metuliferus
Prunus cerasus
In Greek
Kiwano Melon
Sour cherry
In Portuguese
pepino africano
Ginja
In Polish
Ogórek kiwano
Wiśnia pospolita
In Latin
Kiwano Melon
Prunus cerasus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Rosales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Rosaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Prunus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1270
1
27800
👆🏻