Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Tuesday - July 22, 2014
From: Lorena, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification, Vines
Title: Ripe fruit of Melothria pendula (Guadaloupe cucumber)
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I see the pictures of the guadualupe cucumber plant. The fruit is still green. When it matures does it look like a small tomato? I have noticed the vine when the fruit is ripe. This is in McLennan Co. ThanksANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants is sorry that we don't have a photo of the ripe fruit of Melothria pendula (Guadeloupe cucumber), but here are photos from Eat The Weeds. I would describe it as looking like a ripe olive rather than a small tomato. However, there is a vine that also occurs in Mclennan County TX that you may have seen with a ripe fruit that does look like a small tomato —Ibervillea lindheimeri (Lindheimer's globeberry).
From the Image Gallery
More Plant Identification Questions
Plant ID from Beaumont TX
August 13, 2010 - I live in Beaumont Texas and have some trees on the land I hunt that look like a yaupon but put on a small blue berry that the deer devour in December. I have looked and searched the Internet but hav...
view the full question and answer
Cinnamon scented plant growing along Pennsylvania rivers
August 05, 2013 - I've walked along both the Youghiogheny and Monongahela Rivers around my hometown and I've noticed moments at which time I would smell the strong, sweet aroma of cinnamon. Given the riverside envir...
view the full question and answer
Identity of plant friend bought at plant sale
June 20, 2015 - Can you Please Identify this plant? A friend had bought it at a plant sale and she thinks it was called a money tree. I am curios as to what it really is because it has jagged edges on the leaves and ...
view the full question and answer
List of plants with
January 30, 2007 - Hello, Mr. Smarty Plants, I would like a list of all the plants which have been named for Ferdinand Jacob Lindheimer. I would like to prepare this information for use at the Washington on the Brazos,...
view the full question and answer
What is the name of a green plantin Ohio with white flowers that kind of look like broccoli?
March 13, 2009 - Last summer I saw a plant that had very full, very light green almost white flowers that kind of looked like broccoli. Do you know the name of this plant?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |