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
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Sunday - December 18, 2011
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification, Edible Plants
Title: Ground cover plant that tastes like cucumbers
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
It is a native ground cover plant that is edible and tastes like cucumbers. Found in the Edwards Plateau. What is the name?ANSWER:
I think most probably you are talking about Parietaria pensylvanica (Pennsylvania cucumber plant). You can see its distribution in Texas on the USDA Plants Database map. Here is more information and photos from Southwest Environmental Information Network and still more photos. Delena Tull in Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest says:
"Try a nibble of the small leaves and juicy stems of Parietaria. Though not related to the cucumber, the flavor of this tiny herb comes close to that of the garden cucumber. The herb provides a refreshing addition to salads."
From the Image Gallery
More Edible Plants Questions
How to remove tannins from acorns
September 21, 2008 - On your web page it says that the edible acorns (example: Chinkapin Oak) are edible if boiled, but the wikipedia article on "Acorn" says that "Boiling unleached acorns may actually cause the tannin...
view the full question and answer
Possible non-native squash and gourd cross from Kyle TX
June 10, 2012 - Last year I gathered seeds from the yellow squash plants that were grown from a seed packet (hybrid, I assume). Well, now the fruit produced by those plants seems to be a cross between a yellow squash...
view the full question and answer
Edible plants in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
March 02, 2014 - Hi again! Thanks for answering my one question. I have another though. Do you know of any edible plants with no nasty side effects ( like stomach aches or being nauseous) that grow in Lycoming County ...
view the full question and answer
Toxicity of barren strawberries
April 30, 2012 - Are barren strawberries toxic? .
view the full question and answer
Identification of strange dark green blobs
February 03, 2012 - In my back yard I have a type of plant with no roots only around in the summer and when it rains. It looks like a person took a piece lettuce and put way too much water into it and wadded it up. It ...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |