Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Perennial
Fruit
Origin
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Canada
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
21
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Hardwood forests
Low Elevation, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-7-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-5
12-5
Sunset Zone
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
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
15.20 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
12.70 cm10.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Green
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Butterfly shaped
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings, Stem Planting
reseeds, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
No fertilizers needed
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Nematodes, Powdery mildew
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Butterflies
-
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Diuretic
Vermifuge
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Root
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
-
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Groundcover
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
JEFFERSONIA diphylla
CUCUMIS metuliferus
Common Name
-
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
In Hindi
Twinleaf
Kiwano Melon
In German
Twinleaf
Hornmelone
In French
Twinleaf
Cucumis metulifer
In Spanish
Twinleaf
Cucumis metuliferus
In Greek
Twinleaf
Kiwano Melon
In Portuguese
Twinleaf
pepino africano
In Polish
Twinleaf
Ogórek kiwano
In Latin
Twinleaf
Kiwano Melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Ranunculales
Violales
Family
Berberidaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Jeffersonia
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
21
1
27800
👆🏻