Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Shrub
Vegetable
Origin
-
Central America, Mexico
Types
Calycanthus floridus floridus, Calycanthus floridus glaucus
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Number of Varieties
23
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
shaded woods, Woodlands
Floodplains, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-87-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-4
12-1
Sunset Zone
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 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
Spreading
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
240.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Yellow, Violet
Yellow, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Gold
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lobed
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
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Shade areas
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Divison, Seedlings, Suckers
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
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
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 flowers, Remove dead leaves
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial Gall, Powdery mildew
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Shade areas
Cold climate
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Semi-Double
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, Insects
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Allergy
Toxic if not prepared properly
Throat itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antispasmodic, Cardiac, Disinfectant, Diuretic
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Root
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Culinary use, Disinfectant, Repellent
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, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
Calycanthus floridus
MELOTHRIA scabra
Common Name
Sweetshrub
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
In Hindi
sweetshrub
Mousemelon
In German
sweetshrub
Maus Melone
In French
sweetshrub
Mousemelon
In Spanish
sweetshrub
Mousemelon
In Greek
sweetshrub
πεπόνι ποντίκι
In Portuguese
sweetshrub
melão rato
In Polish
sweetshrub
mysz melona
In Latin
sweetshrub
mouse melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Laurales
Cucurbitales
Family
Calycanthaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Calycanthus
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Melothrieae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
450
1
27800
👆🏻