Solanum muricatum is a species of evergreen shrub native to South America and grown for its sweet edible fruit. It is known as pepino dulce or simply pepino. The pepino dulce fruit flavor recalls a succulent mixture of honeydew and cucumber.
Solanum muricatum is a frost tender, evergreen shrub species in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. It is also known by the names sweet cucumber, melon pear and Pepino melon after its fruits. Typically it grows to around 1m tall and wide, with a spreading habit. This species can make a good groundcover plant, best placed growing up a trellis, wall or fence in a sunny position, however, it has an upright habit and may be grown as a freestanding bush. Although it is a perennial shrub species, it is frequently grown as an annual crop plant.
