Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern United States
Central America, Mexico
Types
Tree
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Number of Varieties
-3
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
Floodplains, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-97-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-3
12-1
Sunset Zone
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
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
370.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Yellow, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Orange Red
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong to ablanceolate
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
Nitrate based fertilizers
Compost, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Beetles
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate
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
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Allergy
-
Throat itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Hair Conditioner, Skin Problems
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cardiac, Diuretic, Refrigerant, Tonic
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
It is a remedy for treating fevers, Used in making tea, Used in treatment of mouth ulcers
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Mixed Border
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
OXYDENDRUM arboreum
MELOTHRIA scabra
Common Name
Sourwood
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
In Hindi
Sourwood
Mousemelon
In German
Sourwood
Maus Melone
In French
Sourwood
Mousemelon
In Spanish
Sourwood
Mousemelon
In Greek
Sourwood
πεπόνι ποντίκι
In Portuguese
Sourwood
melão rato
In Polish
Sourwood
mysz melona
In Latin
Sourwood
mouse melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Ericales
Cucurbitales
Family
Ericaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Oxydendrum
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Oxydendreae
Melothrieae
Subfamily
Vaccinioideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
150
1
27800
👆🏻