Life Span
Annual
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Flowering Plants, Shrubs
Origin
Central America, Mexico
America
Types
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Lobelia aberdarica, Lobelia leschenaultiana, Lobelia canbyi
Number of Varieties
3415
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Wet forest
Open areas, River side, Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-84-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
8-1
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
A1, A2, 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
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm0.54 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm0.38 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Gold
Blue, Red, Violet, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Cushion
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Fall, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Early Fall, Early Summer, Late Summer, Mid fall, Mid Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
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
Form a Soil ring to water efficiently, Prefer drip-irrigation instead of Over-head watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Use Mulches to help prevent water loss during hot and windy weather, Water twice a day in the initial period
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic
Soil Type
Loam
Well drained
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Cut or pinch the stems, Prune after flowering, Prune to control growth, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Botrytis Blight, Crown rot, Pythium rot, Stem spot
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Throat itching, Vomiting
coma, convulsions, Diarrhea, exhaustion, Nausea, salivation, Vomiting, weakness
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Bouquets, Showy Purposes, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Asthma, Bronchitis, Croup
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Bedding Plant, Bog Garden, Edging, Foundation, Hanging Basket, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
MELOTHRIA scabra
Lobelia laxiflora
Common Name
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
Lobelia
In Hindi
Mousemelon
Lobelia
In German
Maus Melone
Lobelie
In French
Mousemelon
Lobelia
In Spanish
Mousemelon
Lobelia
In Greek
πεπόνι ποντίκι
λοβηλία
In Portuguese
melão rato
Lobélia
In Polish
mysz melona
Lobelia
In Latin
mouse melon
Lobelia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Anthophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Dicotyledonae
Order
Cucurbitales
Asterales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Campanulaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Lobelia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Melothrieae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Lobelioideae
Number of Species
50415
1
27800
👆🏻