Scientific Name:
Cucumis melo
Pronunciation:
KOO-koo-mis MEL-oh
Common Name:
cantaloupe, honeydew, muskmelon
Family Name:
Cucurbitaceae
Plant Type:
Annual (true), Greenhouse produce plant, Vine or climber
Key ID Features:
Leaves opposite, ovate-orbicular, margins toothed and/ or lobed, on long runners; flowers yellow, 5 petals (fused at base), up to 7cm wide; fruit a muskmelon (e.g. cantaloupe, honeydew, etc.).
Habit:
Horizontal, Spreading
Form:
Climbing, Creeping / Mat-like
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
2 - 3m
Mature Spread:
0.3 - 0.6m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
Australia / New Zealand
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 8a: (-12 to -9.5 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil/Growing Medium:
Humus rich, Well-drained
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Urban agriculture
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Prickly
Surfaces:
Pubescent
Shapes:
Orbicular, Ovate
Apices:
Rounded
Bases:
Cordate
Margins:
Dentate, Serrate, Sinuate
Inflorescence Type:
Flowers solitary
Flower Morphology:
Monoecious plant
Number Of Petals:
5
Corolla Shape:
Rotate/stellate
Ovary Position:
Inferior
Colour (petals):
Yellow
Flower Time at Peak:
Apr
Fruit Type:
Edible, Pepo
Fruit Colour:
Yellow, Brown
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Additional Info:
Edible, Distinctive Smell, Thick tan-coloured rind, netted surface; flesh orange, musky smell.
Bark or Stem Colour:
Green
Additional Info:
Pubescent
Organ Modifications:
Tendrils
Propagation:
Seed
Optimal Temp.:
High
Light Level:
High
Maintenance:
High
Pest Susceptibility:
Mites, Thrips, Virus
