Mouse Melon (Melothria scabra)

Mouse Melon, Cucamelon, or Mexican Miniature Melon, is a frost-tender, herbaceous perennial and/or annual vine that is native from Mexico down to Venezuela. It is a member of the Cucurbitaceae, or gourd family, and produces tiny, grape-sized, edible fruits that are packed with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins.

Mouse Melon vines grow from 8 to 10 feet long and have a similar growth habit to cucumbers. They will quickly cover a wall or trellis or can be used as container plants or in hanging pots. Their yellow flowers bloom in the spring and summer and produce one-inch-long green fruits with dark green longitudinal stripes from midsummer through fall.

These tiny fruits have a crisp, white flesh that tastes like a cucumber with a hint of lime. They are highly nutritious and can be eaten raw or pickled, used whole in salads, or in stir-fries. Mouse Melons grow in full sun to partial shade in humus-rich, well-draining soil. They are hardy in USDA zones 2 to 11, with frost protection from zone 7 and colder