Life Span
Perennial
  
Annual and Biennials
  
Type
Grass
  
Vegetable
  
Origin
Africa, Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Madagascar
  
India, Philippines, Southeast Asia
  
Types
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Habitat
Grassland, Sandy areas
  
Moist Soils, Tropical Climate
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-11
  
5-7
  
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 8
  
12-1
  
Sunset Zone
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
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
  
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
  
Vining/Climbing
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Burgundy, Pink, Rose
  
Yellow, Orange, Dark Green
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Light Pink, Tan, White
  
Yellow, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Blue Green, Gray Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green, Gray Green
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple, Gray Green
  
Not Available
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Grass like
  
Palmate
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
  
Summer, Fall
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Full Sun
  
Growth Rate
Fast
  
Very Fast
  
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
  
Loam, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
  
Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
  
Indeterminate
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
Yes
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
  
Ground
  
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Rooted stem cutting
  
Seedlings
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Needs less watering
  
Requires watering in the growing season, water on alternate days
  
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
Loam, Sand
  
Loam, Sand
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Full Sun
  
Pruning
No need to prune, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Cut out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering, Remove branches that rub together, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
  
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
  
High potassium diluted feed of 5-10-5, Nitrogen, Potassium
  
Pests and Diseases
Disease free, Red blotch
  
Army-worms, Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Blight, Cucumber beetles, Cutworms, Fusarium leaf spot, Leaf rust, Red spider mite, Striped cucumber beetles
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Shade areas
  
Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
Yes
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
No
  
No
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Fine
  
Coarse
  
Foliage Sheen
Matte
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Not Available
  
Bees, Flies, Flying insects
  
Allergy
Not Available
  
Hypoglycaemic Coma, Irregular Heart Rhythm
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Bog Garden, Ground Cover
  
Decorating walls, Ornamental use
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Anti-ageing, Making cosmetics
  
Edible Uses
No
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification
  
Food for animals, Insect Repellent
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Not Available
  
Anti-fungal, Blood disorders, Culinary Usage, Diabetes, Gastrointestinal disorders, Laxative, Nutritive, Weight loss
  
Part of Plant Used
Not Available
  
Fruits
  
Other Uses
Not Available
  
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Repellent, Used in making musical instruments
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Bedding Plant, Cutflower, Edging, Mixed Border, Tropical
  
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Vine
  
Botanical Name
MELINIS nerviglumis
  
Lagenaria siceraria
  
Common Name
Ruby Grass, Zizka
  
calabash, bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd, opo squash
  
In Hindi
Zizka
  
लौकी
  
In German
Zizka
  
Flaschenkürbis
  
In French
Zizka
  
Lagenaria siceraria
  
In Spanish
Zizka
  
Lagenaria siceraria
  
In Greek
Zizka
  
Τσότρα
  
In Portuguese
Zizka
  
Cabaça
  
In Polish
Zizka
  
Tykwa pospolita
  
In Latin
Žižka
  
utrem cucurbita
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Tracheophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Poales
  
Cucurbitales
  
Family
Poaceae
  
Cucurbitaceae
  
Genus
Melinis
  
Coccinia
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
  
Tribe
Paniceae
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Panicoideae
  
Papilionoideae