Melothria pendula: Country Or Region Of Origin
USA, NC
Plant Profile: Melothria pendula
Taxonomy: Melothria pendulaNames
Creeping Cucumber
Phonetic Spelling:mel-OH-three-ah PEN-dyoo-lah
Genus:Melothria
Species:pendula
Family:Cucurbitaceae
This is a slender, climbing vine belonging to the cucumber family, characterized by tendrils that grow alongside its leaves. The leaves are arranged alternately and are simple, featuring 3 to 5 lobes that radiate from a central point. The flowers are solitary and found in the axils, consisting of five distinct parts. The resulting fruit is a berry that can be either green or black, containing white seeds.
Melothria pendula Feature Summary
Melothria pendula Image Gallery
Tags
#poisonous
#weedy
#vines
#climbing vines
#edible fruits
#edible garden
Similar Plants
Melothria pendula Feature Summary
Attributes
USA, NC
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
The berries, when unripe and light green can be eaten raw but can have a strong laxative effect, especially when black and ripe.
Perennial
Tendrils
Fruit
1 inch long ovate green watermelon type fruits that dangle at the end of the pedicel. Turns black when ripe.
Berry
Green
Black
Edible
Summer
Fall
1-3 inches
Flowers
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.
Gold/Yellow
Summer
Fall
4-5 petals/rays
Saucer
< 1 inch
Leaves
ivy-shaped with two lobes in a palmate pattern, tendrils growing beside the leaves.
Green
Simple
Alternate
Lobed
Poisonous to Humans
CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. The ripe berries are a strong laxative and can cause diarrhea.
unknown
Seeds
Fruits
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Coastal
Piedmont
Stem
Landscape
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Poisonous to Humans
Weedy
Melothria pendula Image Gallery
Melothria pendula Attributes
Melothria pendula: 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
Melothria pendula: Edibility
The berries, when unripe and light green can be eaten raw but can have a strong laxative effect, especially when black and ripe.
Melothria pendula: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Melothria pendula: Climbing Method
Clinging
Scrambler
Tendrils
Twining
Melothria pendula Fruit
Melothria pendula: Fruit Description
1 inch long ovate green watermelon type fruits that dangle at the end of the pedicel. Turns black when ripe.
Melothria pendula: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Melothria pendula: Fruit Color
Black
Green
Melothria pendula: Fruit Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Melothria pendula: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Melothria pendula: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Melothria pendula Flowers
Melothria pendula: 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.
Melothria pendula: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Melothria pendula: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Melothria pendula: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Melothria pendula: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Melothria pendula: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Melothria pendula Leaves
Melothria pendula: Leaf Description
ivy-shaped with two lobes in a palmate pattern, tendrils growing beside the leaves.
Melothria pendula: Leaf Color
Green
Melothria pendula: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Melothria pendula: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Melothria pendula: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Melothria pendula: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Melothria pendula Poisonous to Humans
Melothria pendula: Poison Symptoms
CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. The ripe berries are a strong laxative and can cause diarrhea.
Melothria pendula: Poison Toxic Principle
unknown
Melothria pendula: Poison Severity
High
Low
Medium
Melothria pendula: Causes Contact Dermatitis
No
Yes
Melothria pendula: Poison Part
Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems
Melothria pendula Whole Plant Traits
Melothria pendula: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Melothria pendula: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Melothria pendula: Appendage
Prickles
Spines
Tendrils
Thorns
Melothria pendula Cultural Conditions
Melothria pendula: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Melothria pendula Stem
Melothria pendula: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Melothria pendula Landscape
Melothria pendula: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Melothria pendula: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
