The kiwano is a very special fruit. Kiwano is also called African horned cucumber, horned melon or hedged gourd. This vegetable fruit, originally from Africa, has an oval shape and the skin, which is not edible, is full of small spines. It starts out very light green and as the fruit ripens it turns deep orange. This plant needs a lot of light, warmth and protection from the wind. It can be grown both indoors and outdoors. The taste of Kiwano is very good. It is an exotic combination of cucumber, lemon, passion fruit and banana. The fruit ripens from green to yellow/dark orange. You can only eat the Kiwano when it is really ripe, before that it is very tart and bitter. The flesh of the Kiwano is light to dark green and somewhat watery. The seeds are also edible.
Kiwano is very healthy. It contains vitamins A, B6, C and E. And the minerals: calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc. This healthy fruit also contains many antioxidants, fibre and few calories. Kiwano can be used in salads, fruit salads, desserts, salsas, smoothies, ice cream and many other dishes. Kiwano is very tasty in combination with: shrimp, mango, crème fraîche, lime, lemon, amaretto, beef, minced meat, chicken, pork, yoghurt, crab, apple, tabasco, paprika, parsley, mayonnaise, papaya, melon, pineapple, olive oil, bay leaf, thyme, juniper berries, red wine, white wine, hare, kiwi, hazelnuts, cayenne pepper, basil, coriander, honey, whipped cream, raspberries, eggs, sugar, mustard, wine vinegar, puff pastry, watermelon, strawberries and pear. And other vegetables such as: cabbage lettuce, cress, celery, tomatoes, peppers, shallots, onions, garlic and mixed lettuce. In a cool place (not in the refrigerator) a kiwano can be kept for 2 - 3 weeks. Not hardy annual. Height: 200 - 250 cm.
Indoor sowing: March - April
Outdoor sowing: May - June
Germination: 10 - 21 days
Germination temp. : 20 - 26°C
Sowing depth: ½ - 1 cm
Plant distance: 80 - 100 cm
Plant position: very sunny - sheltered
Days till harvest: 120 - 130
Sow indoors from early March in separate pots with seedbed. Sow 2 seeds per pot and cover with a thin layer of soil. Keep warm and moist. Cover the pots with cling film to keep the moisture in. Store them warm and with plenty of light. Remove the cling film as soon as the seedlings emerge. At the end of April - beginning of May, place the seedlings outside in daylight for about 10 days to harden them off. After this you can put the seedlings in a very sunny, warm and sheltered place.
From the middle of May, as soon as there is no more chance of night frost, you can sow outside. Sow in a very sunny, warm and sheltered place and cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. Keep well moist and weed free. Give sufficient water, especially during germination and in dry periods. Harvest the kiwanos by cutting them very carefully from the plant. You can cut off the kiwanos when they start to colour and let them ripen indoors in a dry, warm and sunny place. Kiwanos can be stored at room temperature for about 2 - 3 weeks. Remove the inedible and prickly skin and only eat the flesh and seeds.
