Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Central America, Mexico
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Canada
Types
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Chinese kousa dogwood, Blue Shadow kousa, Weaver's Weeping dogwood
Number of Varieties
34
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Wet forest
gardens, Near ponds, Wet Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-84-8
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
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm550.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm490.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Gold
White, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Burgundy
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Cold climate, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
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
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, occasional watering once established
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
Loam, Moist, Well drained
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 if you want to improve plant shape, Prune lower leaves, Prune once the plant is tall enough
Fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
Fertilize in early spring, Mulch
Pests and Diseases
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Crown rot, Leaf spot, Red blotch, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate
Humidity, Light Frost
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Squirrels
Allergy
Throat itching, Vomiting
allergic conjunctivitis, Headache, Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
For treating wrinkles, Makes teeth white, Making cosmetics, Skin cleanser
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds
Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Acne, Antibiotic, Appetite enhancer, Cough, Diuretic, Emollient, Nutrients, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Bark, Flowers, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Application in Handicrafts, Decoration Purposes, Grown for shade, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
MELOTHRIA scabra
CORNUS alternifolia
Common Name
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
Alternate-leaved Dogwood, Pagoda Dogwood
In Hindi
Mousemelon
Cornus
In German
Maus Melone
Wechselblättriger Hartriegel
In French
Mousemelon
Cornus
In Spanish
Mousemelon
Cornus alternifolia
In Greek
πεπόνι ποντίκι
Cornus
In Portuguese
melão rato
Cornus
In Polish
mysz melona
Dereń
In Latin
mouse melon
Cornus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Cornales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Cornaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Cornus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Melothrieae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
5017
1
27800
👆🏻