Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Fruit
Origin
Brazil
Middle Africa, Southern Africa
Types
Neomarica gracilis
-
Number of Varieties
31
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
subtropical regions, Tropical regions
Low Elevation, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-14-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 8
12-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 16, 17, 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
Thicket/Colonizing
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm10.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Blue, Burgundy, Lavender, Blue Violet
Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green, Orange, Light Green, Dark Green, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Sword-like
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, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings
reseeds, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
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, Alkaline
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 out old flower stalks, Cut out old leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Balanced garden plant fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial Diseases, Fungal Diseases, Rodent, Viruses
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
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Vermifuge
Part of Plant Used
-
Fruits, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Tropical
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
NEOMARICA caerulea
CUCUMIS metuliferus
Common Name
Giant Apostle's Iris, Walking Iris
African Horned Cucumber, Blowfish Fruit, Jelly Melon, Kiwano Melon
In Hindi
Walking Iris
Kiwano Melon
In German
Gehen Iris
Hornmelone
In French
Iris Marcher
Cucumis metulifer
In Spanish
caminar Iris
Cucumis metuliferus
In Greek
περπάτημα Iris
Kiwano Melon
In Portuguese
Andar Iris
pepino africano
In Polish
Walking Iris
Ogórek kiwano
In Latin
O Thaumantias
Kiwano Melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Liliales
Violales
Family
Iridaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Neomarica
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Mariceae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
281
1
27800
👆🏻