Bitter Melon
ExplorePlants
Bitter Melon
Momordica charantia
Bitter melon is a unique green fruit that looks like a bumpy cucumber. It has a very strong taste and is often used in cooking to make tasty dishes.
Habitat: Tropical areas
Appearance
The Bitter Melon has oblong, warty fruit that typically starts green, ripening to a bright yellow or orange. Its leaves are deeply lobed, and it produces small, vibrant yellow flowers, making it visually distinct from smooth-skinned gourds.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderCucurbitalesFamilyCucurbitaceaeGenusMomordica
Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
Be the first to snap!
Interesting facts
Ancient cultures used bitter melon for thousands of years as both a food and a powerful traditional medicine!
Each bright red seed is covered in a sweet, sticky pulp, tempting animals to spread them widely!
Some people call it 'vegetable insulin' because of its unique compounds that help manage blood sugar!
When the fruit fully ripens, its inside turns red and becomes sweet, while the outside stays bitter!
Special abilities
Ability
Explosive Seeds
Bitter Melon has a clever trick: when ripe, its fruit can split open explosively to scatter bright red, sticky seeds far and wide!
Ability
Rapid Climber
Bitter Melon can quickly climb using its tendrils, reaching for sunlight and spreading its vines across trellises or other plants.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 200-500 cm
- Spread
- 100-300 cm
- Flower Size
- 2-3 cm
- Bloom Season
- Summer to fall
- Edible
- Yes
- Toxicity
- Mild
- Lifecycle
- Annual
- Pollination Method
- Insect
Ecological connections
pollinates
Western honey bee
Apis mellifera
collects nectar and pollen from flowers
eats
Melon fruit fly
Bactrocera cucurbitae
larvae feed on the developing fruits
eats
Cotton aphid
Aphis gossypii
sucks sap from leaves and stems
eats
Human
Homo sapiens
cultivates and consumes the fruit
Traits
Flowering
Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
Fruit Bearing
Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds.
Medicinal
Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
Edible
Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
Spice
This human use trait indicates species from which spices are derived, used for flavoring, preserving food, or as aromatic agents.
Also known as
Bitter Gourd
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Always ask an adult before trying new foods, especially fruits like bitter melon.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is Bitter Melon?
200-500 cm
How wide does Bitter Melon spread?
100-300 cm
How big are the flowers on Bitter Melon?
2-3 cm
When does Bitter Melon bloom?
Summer to fall
Is Bitter Melon edible?
Yes
Is Bitter Melon toxic?
Mild
What is Bitter Melon's lifecycle?
Annual
How is Bitter Melon pollinated?
Insect
Snap Map
Zoom in to split clusters and explore where this object has been snapped.
Loading map…
Recent Snaps
Recent snaps will appear here as new observations are added.
