Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Central America, Mexico
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
-
Number of Varieties
31
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Wet forest
Clay soil areas, Forests, open Woodlands, Sandy areas, Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-810-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-10
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
H2, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm670.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Gold
Yellow, Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Dark Salmon, Sienna
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought, Salt
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
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Prune up lowest branches, Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate
Drought, Salt
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Butterflies
Allergy
Throat itching, Vomiting
Headache, Nausea, Skin irritation, Swelling
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, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Diarrhea, Digestion problems, Dysentry, Pulmonary hemorrhage, Skin Disorders, Soothing and relieving pain, Stimulates menstruation, Ulcers, Urinary problems, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Bark, Seeds, Wood
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Carvings, Used as firewood, Wood is used in construction, Wood log is used in making fences
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
MELOTHRIA scabra
CAESALPINIA echinata
Common Name
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
Brazilwood, Indian Savin Tree, Peachwood
In Hindi
Mousemelon
Brazilwood Tree
In German
Maus Melone
Brasil Baum
In French
Mousemelon
Brazilwood Arbre
In Spanish
Mousemelon
Árbol de palo de brasil
In Greek
πεπόνι ποντίκι
brazilwood Δέντρο
In Portuguese
melão rato
Árvore de pau-brasil
In Polish
mysz melona
brazylijskich Drzewo
In Latin
mouse melon
Brazilwood ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Fabales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Caesalpinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Melothrieae
Caesalpinieae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
50100
1
27800
👆🏻