Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Central America, Mexico
Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
-
Number of Varieties
315
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Wet forest
Deciduous forests, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-810-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-9
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
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm910.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Gold
Pink, Light Pink, Lavender, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Sandy Brown, Chocolate
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Red, Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Red, Copper
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Oval to egg shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, Spores
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs
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, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Dispose of diseased portions, Prune before Winter, Prune for shortening long shoots
Fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount, as it is a flowering plant, use high phosphorous content fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Aphids, Bacteria wilt, Downy mildew
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate
Heat Tolerance, Shade areas, Shallow soil, Soil Compaction
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Throat itching, Vomiting
allergic conjunctivitis, Anxiety, Red eyes, sneezing, Sore eyes
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Bouquets, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
For treating wrinkles, Hair Conditioner, Making cosmetics
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds
Air purification, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Detoxification, Hormonal Balancing, Liver problems, Obesity, Regulates Blood Sugar
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Biomass for fuel, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics, Making Sweet Scented Oil
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
MELOTHRIA scabra
LAGERSTROEMIA speciosa
Common Name
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
Pride-of-India, Queen's crape-myrtle,
In Hindi
Mousemelon
जरुल
In German
Maus Melone
Königinblume
In French
Mousemelon
lilas des Indes, Lagerstroemia speciosa
In Spanish
Mousemelon
Banabá Plant
In Greek
πεπόνι ποντίκι
Lagerstroemia speciosa
In Portuguese
melão rato
Resedá-gigante
In Polish
mysz melona
Lagerstremia wspaniała
In Latin
mouse melon
Lagerstroemia speciosa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Myrtales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Lythraceae
Genus
Cucumis
Lagerstroemia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Rosids
Tribe
Melothrieae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
5030
1
27800
👆🏻