Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Perennial
Origin
Central America, Mexico
California
Types
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
-
Number of Varieties
31
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Wet forest
Chaparral, River side
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-87-10
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
H1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Gold
White, Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Green, Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
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
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Cuttings, 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
Needs watering once a week, Water well when planted
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
Pruning
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
prune nearly to the ground in late fall
Fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Verticillium Wilt
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate
Drought
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
-
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Throat itching, Vomiting
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
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
antimicrobial, Astringent, Gum Problems, Stomach pain
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Flower Stalk
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Feature Plant, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
MELOTHRIA scabra
ROMNEYA coulteri
Common Name
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
Matilija Poppy
In Hindi
Mousemelon
Matilija Poppy
In German
Maus Melone
Matilija Poppy
In French
Mousemelon
Matilija Poppy
In Spanish
Mousemelon
Matilija amapola
In Greek
πεπόνι ποντίκι
Matilija παπαρούνας
In Portuguese
melão rato
Matilija Poppy
In Polish
mysz melona
Matilija Poppy
In Latin
mouse melon
Matilija Poppy
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Papaverales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Papaveraceae
Genus
Cucumis
Romneya
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
Melothrieae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Papaveroideae
Number of Species
502
1
27800
👆🏻