Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Shrub
Origin
Central America, Mexico
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, Polynesia
Types
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Gold Dust Croton, Banana Croton
Number of Varieties
31200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Wet forest
Along Railroads, Pastures, Roadsides, Sandy areas, Waste areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-89-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-1
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
H1, H2, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Gold
White, Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Chartreuse, Lime Green, Dark Green, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Chartreuse, Lime Green, Dark Green, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Crimson, Dark Red, Copper, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Chartreuse, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Crimson, Dark Red, Copper, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
-
White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Gold, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Crimson, Dark Red, Copper, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Long Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Cold climate
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, Stem Planting
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 consistently moist soil, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Prune in spring, Remove branches that rub together
Fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
Throat itching, Vomiting
Dizziness, Eczema, Itchiness, Skin irritation, Skin rash, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Improve hair condition, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds
Air purification, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Bronchitis, Gallbladder Diseases, Gout, Joint pain, Malaria, Nerve pain, Upset stomach
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Seeds, Whole plant
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
MELOTHRIA scabra
CODIAEUM variegatum
Common Name
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
Rushfoil, Croton
In Hindi
Mousemelon
क्रोटोन प्लांट
In German
Maus Melone
Kroton
In French
Mousemelon
Croton
In Spanish
Mousemelon
Croton Planta
In Greek
πεπόνι ποντίκι
Κρότωνα φυτών
In Portuguese
melão rato
cróton
In Polish
mysz melona
Kroto roślin
In Latin
mouse melon
Planta Croton
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Malpighiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Croton
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Melothrieae
Crotoneae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Crotonoideae
Number of Species
5065
1
27800
👆🏻