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Bruso, George H.
Echinocystis lobata (Michx.) Torr. & Gray
Wild cucumber
Cucurbitaceae (Cucumber Family)
USDA Symbol: eclo
USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.
A climbing vine with an angular stem and small, greenish-white flowers. The flower stalks and 3-forked tendrils arise in leaf axils.
As the common name suggests, the fruit is like a cucumber, but inedible. A somewhat similar vine, the Star Cucumber (Sicyos angulatus), also has maple-like leaves, but 5-petaled flowers and 1-seeded fruits in clusters of 10, each about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) long.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: WhiteBloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct
Distribution
USA: AR , AZ , CO , CT , DC , DE , GA , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MT , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SD , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WYCanada: MB , NB , SK
Native Distribution: Saskatchewan to New Brunswick; south to Florida; west to Texas; but very rare in the Southeast.
Native Habitat: Moist woods, stream banks.
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)
Growing Conditions
Light Requirement: SunSoil Moisture: Moist
Recommended Species Lists
Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.
View Recommended Species pageAdditional resources
USDA: Find Echinocystis lobata in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Echinocystis lobata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Echinocystis lobata
Metadata
Record Modified: 2012-07-14Research By: TWC Staff
