Plant · GBIF taxon 2931290
pepino
Solanum muricatumAlso known as Pepino Melon, Melon Pear, Pepino Dulce, Sweet Cucumber
Pepino is a delicate, evergreen shrub in the nightshade family native to the temperate Andean valleys of South America. It produces distinctively striped, egg-shaped fruits alongside star-shaped purple and white blossoms reminiscent of potato flowers. Widely cultivated across high-altitude tropical and subtropical regions, it relies on insect pollinators and vegetative propagation to thrive in frost-free climates.
Fruit-BearingEvergreenNightshade
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthetic)
Predators
- Spider Mites
- Aphids
- Whiteflies
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, agricultural pests, frost exposure
HabitatsMontane valleys, agricultural fields, tropical highlands, coastal scrub
Life span5–10 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilySolanaceae
- SpeciesSolanum muricatum
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Wild nightshades have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild plants based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Identifying fruit maturity: Watch for skin color to shift from green to creamy yellow with purple streaks.
- Pest monitoring: Check undersides of leaves regularly for sap-sucking insects in warm weather.
- Optimal placement: Position plants in full sun with well-drained soil sheltered from wind.
Close Relative Softeis / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Eran Finkle, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Toxic Relative (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) jamie-aa, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by jamie-aa · cc-by
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