Pepino Dulce
Pepino Dulce, also known as Pepino Melon or Melon Pear, is a unique subtropical shrub from the Andes that produces sweet, fragrant fruits with melon-like flavor and cucumber-like texture. This compact perennial reaches 2-3 feet tall, producing attractive purple-striped flowers followed by oval fruits that ripen to golden yellow with purple streaks. The juicy, aromatic fruits taste like a blend of honeydew melon, cucumber, and pear with hints of vanilla, offering refreshing sweetness perfect for fresh eating, fruit salads, smoothies, and desserts.
Rich in vitamin C and low in calories, pepinos are popular throughout South America and gaining recognition worldwide for their unique flavor profile. The plants grow quickly from cuttings and begin producing fruit within 4-6 months, offering fast returns in warm climates. Pepinos prefer full sun to partial shade, well-drained soil, and consistent moisture, thriving in containers for easy protection during cooler months.
Frost-tender and best suited to USDA Zones 9-11, these productive plants can be grown as annuals in cooler regions or overwintered indoors as houseplants. Ideal for subtropical gardens, container culture, and adventurous fruit growers seeking unusual flavors and year-round production in frost-free climates.
Pepino Dulce
Pepino Dulce, also known as Pepino Melon or Melon Pear, is a unique subtropical shrub from the Andes that produces sweet, fragrant fruits with melon-like flavor and cucumber-like texture. This compact perennial reaches 2-3 feet tall, producing attractive purple-striped flowers followed by oval fruits that ripen to golden yellow with purple streaks. The juicy, aromatic fruits taste like a blend of honeydew melon, cucumber, and pear with hints of vanilla, offering refreshing sweetness perfect for fresh eating, fruit salads, smoothies, and desserts.
Rich in vitamin C and low in calories, pepinos are popular throughout South America and gaining recognition worldwide for their unique flavor profile. The plants grow quickly from cuttings and begin producing fruit within 4-6 months, offering fast returns in warm climates. Pepinos prefer full sun to partial shade, well-drained soil, and consistent moisture, thriving in containers for easy protection during cooler months.
Frost-tender and best suited to USDA Zones 9-11, these productive plants can be grown as annuals in cooler regions or overwintered indoors as houseplants. Ideal for subtropical gardens, container culture, and adventurous fruit growers seeking unusual flavors and year-round production in frost-free climates.
