Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Fruit
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
-
Number of Varieties
201
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Low Elevation, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 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
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm10.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
reseeds, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
-
Allergy
Rash
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Vermifuge
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
CUCUMIS metuliferus
Common Name
Shell Ginger
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
Kiwano Melon
In German
Shell Ginger
Hornmelone
In French
Shell Ginger
Cucumis metulifer
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
Cucumis metuliferus
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
Kiwano Melon
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
pepino africano
In Polish
Shell Imbir
Ogórek kiwano
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Kiwano Melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Violales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Alpinia
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Alpinieae
-
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
-
Number of Species
1501
1
27800
👆🏻