Plant DetailShow Menu

Creeping Cucumber Melothria pendula

Phonetic Spelling
mel-OH-three-ah PEN-dyoo-lah
This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Slender, climbing vine in the cucumber family with tendrils beside the leaves. The leaves are alternate, simple, palmately 3-5 lobed and the flowers solitary and axillary, 5-parted. The fruit is a green or black berry with white seeds.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#poisonous#NC native#climbing vines#edible fruits#edible garden#NC Native Pollinator Plant#vine#weed
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#poisonous#NC native#climbing vines#edible fruits#edible garden#NC Native Pollinator Plant#vine#weed
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Melothria
    Species:
    pendula
    Family:
    Cucurbitaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    USA, NC
    Distribution:
    Mostly Coastal Plain and lower Piedmont, also in AL , AR , DC , FL , GA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MO , MS , NC , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA
    Climbing Method:
    Tendrils
    Edibility:
    The berries, when unripe and light green can be eaten raw but can have a strong laxative effect, especially when black and ripe.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Edible
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Native Plant
    Poisonous
    Habit/Form:
    Climbing
    Appendage:
    Tendrils
  • Cultural Conditions:
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Piedmont
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Black
    Green
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Edible
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Berry
    Fruit Length:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Description:
    1 inch long ovate green watermelon type fruits that dangle at the end of the pedicel. Turns black when ripe.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Saucer
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    The flower of Creeping Cucumber is held on a long pedicel. The yellow blossom has 5 lobes and is 1/4 inch across or smaller.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Margin:
    Lobed
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Description:
    ivy-shaped with two lobes in a palmate pattern, tendrils growing beside the leaves.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Naturalized Area
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Edible Garden
    Native Garden
    Problems:
    Poisonous to Humans
    Weedy
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Low
    Poison Symptoms:
    CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. The ripe berries are a strong laxative and can cause diarrhea.
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    unknown
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No
    Poison Part:
    Fruits
    Seeds