Kedrostis leloja is a herbaceous, perennial climbing plant producing stems up to 2 metres long from a swollen tuberous rootstock.

One of the stranger members of the Cucurbit family, this species is best-known for its caudiciform growth which finds it quickly developing a thick caudex.

It is found in central and southern Africa, growing in a well drained soil with some water and lots of sun. It will get one meter annual stems.

The native range of this species is Dry Tropical & S. Africa, Arabian Peninsula. It is a climbing tuberous geophyte and grows primarily in the desert or dry ...

Synonyms: Kedrostis hirtella (Naudin) Cogn. Kedrostis natalensis (Hook. f.) Meeuse Rhynchocarpa hirtella Naud. Toxanthera kwebensis N.E. Br.

Kedrostis leloja (Forssk. ex J.F Gmel.) C.Jeffrey. Common name(s). Genus. Kedrostis. Family. Cucurbitaceae. Flora. Useful plants of Tropical Africa.

Helpdesk · Kingdom. Plantae · Phylum. Tracheophyta · Class. Magnoliopsida · Order. Cucurbitales · Family. Cucurbitaceae · Genus. Kedrostis Medik.

Kedrostis leloja is a fast-growing evergreen cactus / succulent or vine with green foliage. Does well in average, gritty and well-drained soil.

Native to Africa, Kedrostis Leloja is known for its caudiciform growth which finds it quickly developing a thick caudex that looks much like an elephant's foot. It grows a long vine with bright green hairy foliage. Kedrostis are great as trained climbers in a pot. It will look terrific against gold wire trellis.

Ripening fruits. The identification is uncertain, it is either this species or Kedrostis hirtella. Photograph by: Vilseskogen Creative Commons License.