Balsam-apple

Momordica charantia

Momordica

Cucurbitaceae

Tropical Plants

Zone 9–12

🍎 Edible

Balsam-apple thrives in warm, humid conditions with at least 6 hours of sunlight and consistent moisture. Provide a trellis or support structure as it is a vigorous vining plant. Its bitter fruit is widely used in tropical cuisine and traditional medicine, making it a rewarding edible garden addition.

Care Requirements

Care Level

Moderate

Sun

Partial Shade

Water

Moderate

Growth Rate

Moderate

Mature Height

12″ – 36″

Soil

loam

Life Cycle

Perennial

Spacing

36″

Watering Schedule

Every 5-7 Days • Water Deeply Until Soil Is Evenly Moist, Allowing The Top Inch To Dry Between Waterings

Temperature

60° – 95°F

Mature Spread

up to 24″

Root Depth

Medium

Foliage

Coarse

Propagation: Seed

Ecology & Origin

Native to

Alabama

Andaman Is.

Angola

Argentina Northeast

Argentina Northwest

Aruba

Ascension

Assam

Bahamas

Bangladesh

Belize

Benin

Bermuda

Bolivia

Borneo

Brazil North

Brazil Northeast

Brazil South

Brazil Southeast

Brazil West-Central

Attracts

🐝 Bees

🐝 Butterflies

Safety & Use

🍎 Edible fruit

🍳 Culinary

⚕ Medicinal

Sources

Data: trefle, usda

Image: trefle.io — Taken Sep 14, 2014 by Thomas Delhotal (cc-by-sa)

Hardiness Zones

Check your zone:

Available From (0)

No nurseries currently have this species in stock.