Life Span
Annual
Biennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Central America, Mexico
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Yellow Birch, Paper Birch, River Birch
Number of Varieties
340
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Wet forest
Hills, Moist Soils
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-84-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
9-1
Sunset Zone
A3, 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
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm2,133.60 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm762.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Gold
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
Requires watering in the growing season, Water daily during growing season, Water Deeply, 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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove hanging branches
Fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize twice a year, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
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
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Ants, Aphids, Birds
Allergy
Throat itching, Vomiting
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, Arthritis, Boils, bowel syndrome, Combats Stress, Diarrhea, Dysentry, Heart problems, Kidney Stones, Osteoarthritis, Skin Disorders, Urinary tract problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Bark, Leaves, Sap
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Medicinal oil, Used as essential oil
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
MELOTHRIA scabra
BETULA nigra 'Studetec'
Common Name
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
Black Birch, River Birch, Tecumseh Compact River Birch
In Hindi
Mousemelon
काले बर्च वृक्ष
In German
Maus Melone
Schwarze Birke
In French
Mousemelon
Noir Bouleau
In Spanish
Mousemelon
Negro del árbol de abedul
In Greek
πεπόνι ποντίκι
Μαύρο Birch Tree
In Portuguese
melão rato
Bétula Preto
In Polish
mysz melona
Czarny Brzoza
In Latin
mouse melon
Niger Caerulus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Fagales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Melothrieae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
5040
1
27800
👆🏻