Bitter Melon Seeds – Jamaican Cerasee / Karela

Grow a warm-season climbing vegetable with a distinctive bitter flavor: Jamaican cerasee, also known as bitter melon or karela. Its cucumber-like vines carry green, warty, tapered fruits and yellow flowers, making it a productive addition to a supported vegetable garden. Enjoy the experience of picking your own bitter melon for savory home-cooked dishes.

Seed and Plant Details

• What you receive: Seeds for planting, not dried tea leaves, fresh fruit, or live plants.
• Botanical name: Momordica charantia.
• Common names: Bitter melon, Jamaican cerasee, bitter gourd, karela, and balsam pear.
• Plant type: Frost-sensitive, warm-season annual vine.
• Fruit: Warty, green, and tapered; described for this listing as approximately 8–10 inches long and 3 inches in diameter under suitable conditions.
• Approximate maturity: 80 days, with timing affected by weather and growing conditions.
• Light: Full sun to light shade.
• Soil: Rich, moist, well-draining soil.

Choose Your Seed Pack

Select 5, 20, or 100 seeds for your garden plans. Germination and yields depend on seed-starting conditions, climate, and care.

Starting and Planting

Bitter melon needs warm conditions and is very sensitive to frost. In cooler climates, start seeds in pots approximately 6 weeks before your expected frost-free date. Transplant outdoors only after frost danger has passed and conditions are warm. In suitable warm climates, sow during a frost-free growing period.

Growing Care

Choose a sunny to lightly shaded position and provide a trellis or other support for the climbing vines. Keep the soil moist during active growth without overwatering or allowing water to collect around the roots. Monitor plants regularly as the vines develop.

Harvest and Kitchen Use

Harvest fruits while green and immature for culinary use. Bitter melon is used in stir-fries, sautés, curries, and stuffed vegetable dishes across Caribbean and Asian cuisines. Its pronounced bitterness pairs with savory ingredients such as onion, garlic, and spices. This listing is for growing a vegetable crop, not for eating the planting seeds.

Important Use Information

Seeds are sold for planting only. This product is not offered to treat disease, regulate blood sugar, provide contraception, or replace medical care. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before using bitter melon preparations medicinally, particularly during pregnancy or breastfeeding or when taking medication.