Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Central America, Mexico
Southern Europe, Russia/Siberia, Mediterranean, Central Asia, Southeastern Asia, China
Types
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Elaeagnus angustifolia
Number of Varieties
330
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Wet forest
fencerows, Forest edges, mine spoils, Old fields, open Woodlands, Pastures, Roadsides, sand dunes
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-82-8
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
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Gold
White, Yellow green, Silver
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Yellow, Silver
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Light Green, Gray Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Gray Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Light Green, Gray Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Ovate
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
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, 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
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, Vegetative Reproduction
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
Do not let dry out between waterings, Do Not over Water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, 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
pruning needed for strong structure
Fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Canker, fungus, Insects, Leaf spot, Red blotch, Verticillium Wilt
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate
Pollution, Salt, 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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Birds
Allergy
Throat itching, Vomiting
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds
Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Whole plant
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, Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
Botanical Name
MELOTHRIA scabra
ELAEAGNUS angustifolia
Common Name
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
Russian Olive
In Hindi
Mousemelon
रूस ओलिव
In German
Maus Melone
russische Olive
In French
Mousemelon
Olive russe
In Spanish
Mousemelon
oliva ruso
In Greek
πεπόνι ποντίκι
Ρωσική Ελιάς
In Portuguese
melão rato
Olive russo
In Polish
mysz melona
rosyjski Olive
In Latin
mouse melon
Russian Olive
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Rhamnales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Elaeagnaceae
Genus
Cucumis
Elaeagnus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Melothrieae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
5040
1
27800
👆🏻