Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Shrub
Fruit
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
21
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Low Elevation, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-11-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-7
12-5
Sunset Zone
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm10.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Red
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Arrowhead
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
reseeds, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Do not water excessively
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
Toxic
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Vermifuge
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
ERYTHRINA herbacea
CUCUMIS metuliferus
Common Name
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
In Hindi
Red Cardinal
Kiwano Melon
In German
Red Cardinal
Hornmelone
In French
Cardinal rouge
Cucumis metulifer
In Spanish
Cárdenas
Cucumis metuliferus
In Greek
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
Kiwano Melon
In Portuguese
Cardeal vermelho
pepino africano
In Polish
Red Cardinal
Ogórek kiwano
In Latin
Cardinalis Rubrum
Kiwano Melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Violales
Family
Fabaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Erythrina
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Phaseoleae
-
Subfamily
Faboideae
-
Number of Species
101
1
27800
👆🏻