Meloncito Melothria pendula
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- mel-OH-three-ah PEN-dyoo-lah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Creeping Cucumber is a slender, climbing, scrambling perennial shrub or liana (a long, stemmed woody vine) in the cucumber family. It will climb with tendrils. It resembles the garden cucumber, with small yellow flowers, lobed leaves, and a similar growth pattern. However, the berries, which resemble small watermelons, can be toxic.
Creeping Cucumber does best in simple garden soil with good drainage, consistent watering, and full sun. It will tolerate dry conditions.
Clemson University, Home and Garden Information Center, has a short article on Creeping Cucumber, its ability to spread and climb, and possible toxicity.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
The plant is susceptible to powdery mildew.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Melothria
- Species:
- pendula
- Family:
- Cucurbitaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used to treat unspecified medicinal disorders, as a medicine. It is also used for food.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and Eastern United States, Central, and South America.
- Distribution:
- Americas from Pennsylvania south to Argentina. Introduced into China, Taiwan, and the Philippines.
- 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
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Appendage:
- Tendrils
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
-
-
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:
- One inch long ovate green watermelon type fruits dangle at the end of the pedicel. The fruit is initially green but turns black with white seeds when ripe.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- 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. Blossoms appear from April into October. The flowers solitary, axillary, and 5-parted.
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are 3 to 5 lobed and ivy-shaped with two lobes in a palmate pattern. The climbing tendrils grow 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
