Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Shrub
Origin
North America, Mexico, Central America
Madagascar
Types
-
Euphorbia tithymaloides tithymaloides, Euphorbia tithymaloides angustifolia
Number of Varieties
208
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
-
subtropical regions, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99999-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
-
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, 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
H2, 13, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Orange
Purple, Orange, Pink, Magenta
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Yellow
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Gray Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison
Seedlings, Softwood cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water frequently
Average Water Needs, 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
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Borers, Cucumber beetles, Mealybugs, Powdery mildew
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Carcinogenic, Diarrhea, Skin irritation, Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Asthma, Emetic, Inflammation, Intestinal worms
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Used as a nutritious food item, Used As Food
Tea-like beverage can be brewed, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Container, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
CUCURBITA pepo 'Papaya Pear'
Euphorbia tithymaloides
Common Name
Summer Squash
Devil's Backbone
In Hindi
summer squash
Devil's Backbone
In German
Sommerkürbis
Devil's Backbone
In French
courges d'été
Backbone du Diable
In Spanish
calabaza de verano
El espinazo del diablo
In Greek
καλοκαίρι σκουός
Devil's Backbone
In Portuguese
abobrinha
Espinha do Diabo
In Polish
latem squash
Kręgosłup diabła
In Latin
aestas cucurbitae
Narum diaboli
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Malpighiales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Crassulaceae
Genus
Cucurbita
Euphorbia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Cucurbiteae
Euphorbieae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Euphorbioideae
Number of Species
52000
1
27800
👆🏻