Creeping-cucumber
Melothria pendula
Cucurbitaceae


Landscape Uses:

Delicate vine often found growing as a groundcover.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts.
Description:
Perennial vine with a tuberous root. Creeping, climbing, or trailing with thing, fragile stems and 3-5 lobed leaves 1-4 inches long with sandpapery surfaces.
Height:
Vine with stems 12-15 feet in length.
Growth Rate:
Range:
Southern United States south through the state of Florida.
Habitats:
Floodplain forests, sandhills, flatwoods, disturbed sites.
Soils:
Dry to moist, well-drained sandy soils, with or without humusy top layer.
Nutritional Requirements:
Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance:
Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance:
Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements:
Flower Color:
Yellow.
Flower Characteristics:
Flowering Season:
Fruit:
Striped or mottled green berries maturing yellow to orange or purplish black.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Horticultural Notes:
Comments:
We have been adding data for this species for central and northern Florida and welcome any feedback or review. If you would like to contribute information or images, please contact George Gann via the IRC staff page. See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page.


James Johnson, 2014
In habitat, Hillsboro Pineland Natural Area, Broward County, Florida
Roger L. Hammer
Jay Horn via iNaturalist.
Joe Montes de Oca via iNaturalist