Solanum muricatum (F)

Other common names

melon pear, melon shrub, pepino dulce

Synonyms

Solanum variegatum

Shrubs Fruit Edible Conservatory Greenhouse

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A bushy perennial half-hardy shrub. It has evergreen leaves and purple and white flowers and these develop into egg-shaped fruits with a smooth creamy yellow skin with purplish stripes

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.5-1 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H2

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Solanaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Solanum can be annuals, perennials, evergreen or deciduous shrubs or twining climbers, with simple or pinnnately lobed leaves and star- or bowl-shaped, 5-lobed flowers with prominent stamens, followed by fleshy fruits
Name Status: Correct
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea: This genus produces fruit, but not necessarily edible fruit

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in water-retaining but well-drained soil in good light. Water freely and use a hig potassium eg tomato feed for maximum crop.

Propagation

Propagate by seed

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Conservatory and greenhouse
Edible fruit

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, mealybugs, glasshouse whitefly and glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), tomato leaf mould and tomato viruses