Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Vegetable
Origin
-
Central America, Mexico
Types
Ilex x 'Nellie R. Stevens'
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Number of Varieties
13
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical climates, Woodland Garden Secondary, Woodlands
Floodplains, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-97-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-1
Sunset Zone
21,22
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
Pyramidal
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
300.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Yellow, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Crimson
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Rooted stem cutting, Stem Cutting, stem tip cuttings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do not water frequently
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Compost, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Leafminers, Mites, Nematodes, Red blotch, Root rot, Tar spot
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Allergy
Diarrhea, Mildly Toxic, Vomiting
Throat itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes, Used for making hedges
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Food for animals, Used for Landscaping
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
ILEX 'Nellie Stevens'
MELOTHRIA scabra
Common Name
Nellie Stevens Holly
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
In Hindi
Nellie Stevens Holly
Mousemelon
In German
Nellie Stevens Holly
Maus Melone
In French
Nellie Stevens Holly
Mousemelon
In Spanish
Nellie Stevens Holly
Mousemelon
In Greek
Nellie Stevens Holly
πεπόνι ποντίκι
In Portuguese
Nellie Stevens Holly
melão rato
In Polish
Nellie Stevens Holly
mysz melona
In Latin
Nellie Stevens Holly
mouse melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Tracheophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Aquifoliales
Cucurbitales
Family
Aquifoliaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Ilex
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Melothrieae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
60050
1
27800
👆🏻