Cuchinito
Cyclanthera brachystachya

Family: Cucurbitaceae

What it is like

Cyclanthera brachystachya is a ANNUAL growing to 3 m (9ft 10in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. It is in flower from August to September. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 3

Where it is found

Shrublands in the Andes at elevations of 1500 - 3500 metres.

C. and S. America - Mexico to Colombia and Ecuador.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 1

Fruit - raw or cooked. The fruit is up to 4cm long.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating:

How it is grown

Requires a warm sunny and sheltered position in a rich well-drained soil. Plants are not very cold hardy in Britain and so are normally grown in a greenhouse. However, if they are started in a greenhouse in the spring and grown on well it is possible to get reasonable yields in most years outdoors in this country. Plants have been seen outdoors in an open sunny position at Kew on several occasions with ripe fruit. Plants tolerate more cold than many cucurbits.

Propagating it: Seed - sow mid spring in a rich compost in a warm greenhouse. Put 2 or 3 seeds in a pot and thin the seedlings to the strongest plant. Plant out after the last expected frost and give the plants some protection such as a cloche until they are growing away well.

Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;

Habit: Annual

Hardiness: 9-11

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

C. explodens. Naudin.