Flower profile

Bitter melon

Momordica charantia

Introduced in the lower 48

Bitter melon is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–December.

8states

2of our state lists

8,396U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Florida, Hawaii

Quick look

Momordica charantia is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean for its edible fruit. Its many varieties differ substantially in the shape and bitterness of the fruit.
From Wikipedia's article Momordica charantia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a vine with a annual life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 8 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as not native to Florida and Hawaii. ^NatureServe
In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–December. ^iNaturalist
In Hawaii, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in January–December. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 7,130 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #14 among the 110 flowers on our Florida list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,164 research-grade sightings of it in Hawaii, ranking #37 among the 105 flowers on our Hawaii list. ^iNaturalist

Bitter melon gift ideas

Handmade bitter melon gifts from independent makers.

🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (556 records)

Bloom time in each of our 2 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Florida	Introduced	April–December	7,130
Hawaii	Introduced	January–December	1,164

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. ^NatureServe
Florida: Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Florida. ^{FAC 5B-40.0055}
Hawaii: Not listed Not on Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Hawaii. ^{HAR 13-107}
Rare elsewhere: No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleCaution: partly edible, partly poisonous

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: medium). Poisonous parts: fruits, seeds. Symptoms they list: “TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN. Ripe fruits, fruit coats, and seeds cause headache, salivation, facial redness, pupil dilation, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and muscular weakness.” They also note: “Young fruits (green or early yellow colored) are a popular vegetable consumed in some countries. Leafy shoot tips are often used as salad greens.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records bitter melon in 8 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Texas.

Florida counties with USDA records: Brevard, Broward, Collier, Escambia, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, Volusia.

Hawaii counties with USDA records: Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai, Maui.

More Florida flowers

Ivy gourd

Coccinia grandis

Introduced

🌼 Few flowering records

White beggarticks

Bidens alba

Native

🌼 Blooms in FL: January–December

American beautyberry

Callicarpa americana

Native

🌼 Blooms in FL: April–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile MOCH2.
iNaturalist, Momordica charantia: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Momordica charantia (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Florida: Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055).
Florida: Florida Noxious Weed List (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-57.007).
Hawaii: Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife.
Hawaii: Hawaii noxious weed list (HAR 4-68).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Momordica charantia (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Ben Machado via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.