Cucurbitaceae
Southern balsampear
Momordica balsamina
- Family
- Cucurbitaceae
- Genus
- Momordica
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Common names
By language (12)
- Afrikaans
- Laloentjie
- Arabic
- معضوضة بلسمية, بيلسان, تفاح العجائب, مغض, مليح
- arz
- معضوضه بلسميه
- ban
- Paya alas
- Chinese
- 胶苦瓜
- English
- Southern balsampear, African cucumber, Balsam apple, Balsam pear, Balsamina, Southern balsam pear
- Hausa
- Garafuni
- Hebrew
- לעוסית מטפסת
- Malayalam
- കാട്ടുപാവൽ
- Polish
- Przepękla pospolita, Balsamka pospolita
- Portuguese
- Cacana, Nkaka
- Russian
- Момордика бальзамическая
Synonyms
- Momordica garriepensis Arn.
- Momordica huberi Tod.
- Momordica involucrata E.Mey.
- Momordica schinzii Cogn. ex Schinz
- Nevrosperma cuspidata Raf.
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Forb/herb, Vine
- Lifespan
- Annual
- In the US and Canada
- Lower 48 states: introduced, Puerto Rico: introduced
Photos
Photo: Aris riyanto, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Veer Magagula, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Addax1949, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Victorious Dennis Themba, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Angel Angel, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Pankaj Bhardwaj, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Aris riyanto, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
More in Momordica
- BalsampearMomordica charantiaCucurbitaceae
- Gac melonMomordica cochinchinensisCucurbitaceae
- BalsampearMomordica dioicaCucurbitaceae
- Momordica foetidaCucurbitaceae
- Momordica cymbalariaCucurbitaceae
- Momordica boiviniiCucurbitaceae
- Momordica subangulataCucurbitaceae
- Momordica cardiospermoidesCucurbitaceae
- Momordica cissoidesCucurbitaceae
- Momordica enneaphyllaCucurbitaceae
- Momordica humilisCucurbitaceae
- Momordica multifloraCucurbitaceae
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.