“A Seed is a Wish About to Come True. . .”™   Summer Rayne

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African Horned Cucumber

  "Cucaceratops" tm  Cucumis metuliferus -  Also known as Kiwano this native to Africa and annual climber grows in the wild as well as in cultivation. The fruits are oval, green and ripen to red-orange. The skin is covered with short, blunt unique looking spikes.  The plant grows just like other cucumber plants with vines reaching 5 - 10 feet long.  Flowers form with two to four pale yellow male flowers, a leaf petiole, and occasionally a fruiting branch. Hardy to Zone 10. Although edible and most often squeezed into juices it is primarily grown for its ornamental cool, prehistoric look.

Uses: 

• The whole fruit can be eaten.
• The fruit flesh including the seed is eaten raw.
•  The skin can be dried and cooked either as vegetable together with meat or fish or included in soup recipes.  
• The fruit pulp can be strained to make a juice.

Seed Sowing:

• Grow as you would a normal cucumber
• Sow seed directly at 68°F - 95°F in flats then transplant
• Sow outdoors when soil is warm 60°F or above

Item # ss- 34 10 seeds per pack

Your Price Only $2.99! ! !  

Fun Facts:

• Member of the Cucurbitaceae
• Can remain in storage for 6 months at 50°F
• Species Cucumis metuliferus E. Mey. ex Naud or ex Schrad
• Mainly grown as an ornamental fruit
• Fun for kids gardens
• 105 days from seed sowing to fruit harvest
• Don't hesitate to prune back plants and keep old fruits picked up to avoid future plants from becoming a weed or invasive
• Also called Horned Melon and Jelly Melon
•  

Growing Tips:

• Keep plants well watered
• If space is limited grow on a trellis or fence
• Maximize production by harvesting fruits regularly

Copyright © [ Driftwood Gardens - ] May 1998-2008. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in part or in whole, without the written consent of the owner/publisher.    

Unless otherwise noted all photos are taken by Dale Johnson or Jon Valley and are Copyright © [Dale Johnson - Driftwood Gardens - Summers Seeds] All rights reserved. No picture may be reproduced, in part or in whole, without the written consent of the owner/publisher.