naturalizedCucurbitaceae
Momordica charantia
Bitter Melon
Naturalized (non-native)non-native
Introduced and now reproducing on its own in the wild.
Momordica charantia, known as bitter melon, bitter gourd, bitter squash, or balsam-pear, 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. It is sometimes known by names loaned from Asian languages.
Read more on Wikipedia →summary via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA
Seasonality
33 flowering · 24 fruiting annotations · iNaturalist · fetched Jul 2026
■ flowering (peak May)■ fruiting (peak November)
This is an inference, not a schedule. The curve reflects when observers annotated flowering and fruiting — which tracks observer effort as well as plant behavior, and pools all elevations and islands into one signal. Hawaiʻi’s microclimates vary enormously; a species may fruit in January at sea level and June at elevation. Use this to know when to look, then look.
Gallery · 4 · iNaturalist
open-licensed photos · click any to view its source
Where documented · 123 ahupuaʻa
documented occurrences · iNaturalist + GBIF · iNaturalist 195 · GBIF 295 records
Waikīkī · OʻahuiNat 14 · GBIF 38 ✓
Honokōhau 1-3 · HawaiʻiiNat 12 · GBIF 23 ✓
Maunalua · OʻahuiNat 7 · GBIF 13 ✓
Honolulu · OʻahuiNat 7 · GBIF 10 ✓
Pāʻā · KauaʻiiNat 5 · GBIF 11 ✓
Hōnaunau · HawaiʻiiNat 9 · GBIF 7 ✓
Kēōkea · HawaiʻiiNat 3 · GBIF 12 ✓
Waiākea · HawaiʻiiNat 8 · GBIF 4 ✓
Hanalei · KauaʻiiNat 6 · GBIF 5 ✓
Lanihau 1-2, Moeauo · HawaiʻiiNat 4 · GBIF 6 ✓
Waiʻanae · OʻahuiNat 3 · GBIF 6 ✓
Paunau · MauiiNat 4 · GBIF 4 ✓
Kawaipapa · MauiiNat 5 · GBIF 3 ✓
Wailua · KauaʻiiNat 3 · GBIF 5 ✓
Ponahawai · HawaiʻiiNat 4 · GBIF 3 ✓
Kailua · OʻahuiNat 2 · GBIF 5 ✓
Keʻanae · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 6 ✓
West Honomāʻele · MauiiNat 2 · GBIF 5 ✓
Keʻei 2 · HawaiʻiiNat 2 · GBIF 5 ✓
Kalaoa 1-5 · HawaiʻiiNat 3 · GBIF 3 ✓
Honokahua · MauiiNat 3 · GBIF 3 ✓
Hōlualoa 1-2 · HawaiʻiiNat 3 · GBIF 3 ✓
ʻAiea · OʻahuiNat 2 · GBIF 4 ✓
Waimea · OʻahuiNat 3 · GBIF 3 ✓
Puaʻa 2-3, Waiʻaha 1 · HawaiʻiiNat 3 · GBIF 3 ✓
Keālia · OʻahuiNat 3 · GBIF 2 ✓
ʻAlaeiki · MauiiNat 3 · GBIF 2 ✓
Kaloko · HawaiʻiiNat 2 · GBIF 3 ✓
Kawaihāpai · OʻahuiNat 2 · GBIF 3 ✓
Moanalua · OʻahuiNat 2 · GBIF 3 ✓
Kaumalumalu, Pāhoehoe · HawaiʻiiNat 2 · GBIF 2 ✓
Honouliuli · OʻahuiNat 3 · GBIF 1 ✓
Hālawa · OʻahuiNat 2 · GBIF 2 ✓
Kāneʻohe · OʻahuiNat 2 · GBIF 2 ✓
Papaʻanui · HawaiʻiiNat 2 · GBIF 2 ✓
Kalihi · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 2 ✓
Paeahu · MauiiNat 2 · GBIF 1 ✓
Waikapū · MauiiNat 2 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kanahena · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 2 ✓
Kealakekua, Kīloa 1 · HawaiʻiiNat 2 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kalihi · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 2 ✓
Keauhou 1 · HawaiʻiiNat 2 · GBIF 1 ✓
Hāʻena · KauaʻiGBIF 3
Kealakehe · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Anahola · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Nāpili 2-3 · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kaʻawaloa · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Honuaʻula · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Piʻihonua · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kamaʻole · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Puʻuwaʻawaʻa · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Moaliʻi · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Hauʻula · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Waimalu · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Waiohuli · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kualoa 1 · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kalihiwai · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Lāwai · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kawela · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kahana · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Waiakahiula, Kaʻohe · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Puaʻa 1 · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Waiakahiula, Kaʻohe · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Waimano · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kapaʻa · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kapālama · OʻahuiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kīlauea · KauaʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Kahuku · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Hāliʻimaile · MauiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Keahuolū · HawaiʻiiNat 1 · GBIF 1 ✓
Palauhulu 1-2 · HawaiʻiGBIF 2
Waimānalo · OʻahuGBIF 2
Kahanahāiki · OʻahuGBIF 2
Keauhou 2 · HawaiʻiGBIF 2
Kamananui · OʻahuGBIF 2
Waipiʻo · OʻahuGBIF 2
Keōpukaʻuʻuku · MolokaʻiiNat 1
Kahakuloa · MauiiNat 1
ʻŌhikilolo · OʻahuiNat 1
South Olohena · KauaʻiiNat 1
ʻAnaehoʻomalu · HawaiʻiiNat 1
Kāwala · HawaiʻiiNat 1
Mailepai · MauiiNat 1
Heʻeia · OʻahuiNat 1
Kaʻūpūlehu · HawaiʻiiNat 1
Wahiawa · KauaʻiiNat 1
Waiʻoli · KauaʻiiNat 1
Nāmāhana · KauaʻiiNat 1
Kaʻāpahu · MauiiNat 1
Hāwī · HawaiʻiGBIF 1
Kiʻilae · HawaiʻiGBIF 1
Kaiwikinui · HawaiʻiGBIF 1
Haʻikū · KauaʻiGBIF 1
Hāmākuapoko · MauiGBIF 1
Hōlualoa 4 · HawaiʻiGBIF 1
Waiau · OʻahuGBIF 1
Kualoa 2 · OʻahuGBIF 1
Kahaluʻu · HawaiʻiGBIF 1
Waipā · KauaʻiGBIF 1
Waiawa · OʻahuGBIF 1
Kapoho · HawaiʻiGBIF 1
ʻŌiʻo 2 · OʻahuGBIF 1
Kaʻohe 1-3 · HawaiʻiGBIF 1
Kanahonua · HawaiʻiGBIF 1
Lauhulu · OʻahuGBIF 1
Kohanaiki · HawaiʻiGBIF 1
Keaʻau · HawaiʻiGBIF 1
Paukaʻa · HawaiʻiGBIF 1
Honomū, Kuhua · HawaiʻiGBIF 1
Kaʻaʻawa · OʻahuGBIF 1
Keʻei 1 · HawaiʻiGBIF 1
Kawailoa · OʻahuGBIF 1
Wailuku · MauiGBIF 1
Paʻalaʻa · OʻahuGBIF 1
Keawaʻula · OʻahuGBIF 1
Mālamalamaiki · HawaiʻiGBIF 1
Showing the 120 most-documented of 123.