Native to the Kalahari Desert, the Kiwano is also known as the Horned Melon, the melano, the African horned cucumber, the jelly melon, and the hedged gourd. When allowed to ripen, the fruit tastes like a mix of cucumbers, kiwis, and bananas. It is a strange-looking fruit native to Southern Africa and has recently (in the past century) been introduced to other parts of the world, namely Australia and New Zealand. This is where it picked up the name kiwano, due to its similar consistency and appearance to kiwi. However, this fruit is not biologically linked to kiwi and is actually closer in nutritive and evolutionary terms to cucumber and zucchini. The fruit is widely cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and certain parts of Asia. The name “horned melon” comes from the fruit’s unusual appearance, as the outer layer of orange or gold skin is covered in small spikes. The inside of the fruit does have the gelatinous appearance of a kiwi, but the inner layer of fruit pulp is a culinary ingredient. The leaves and roots are also used for various applications, but the fruit is the most highly prized. The seeds contain high concentrations of beneficial nutrients and organic compounds that make the fruit so healthy.

Growing Instructions

1. Soak the seed in water for several hours.
2. Prepare a mixture of half potting soil and half sand, perlite or vermiculite.
3. Put the mixture in a pot with drainage holes in the base.
4. Water the mixture so that it is moist but not wet.
5. Put the seeds on the soil.
6. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil.
7. Water the seeds and keep the soil moist but not wet.
8. Place the pots in an area with warm temperatures in full sun or part shade.
9. When the seedlings are a few inches tall, they can be transplanted.