Creeping Cucumber: When Is Creeping Cucumber Safe to Eat?

Creeping cucumber, known by its scientific name Melothria pendula or by its common name Guadeloupe cucumber, is a hanging plant in the cucumber family (Cucurbitaceae). Creeping cucumber looks similar to a cucumber vine plant.

The herbaceous perennial has yellow, saucer-shaped flowers that bloom in fall and summer and are about an inch in size. The plant also has dark green foliage and tiny, light green berries that grow along the creeping cucumber vine. The fruit resembles little watermelons.

You can find creeping cucumber plants growing as a native plant or wild plant in many southeast regions of North America, including South Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. They thrive in USDA Hardiness Planting Zones 8–11, where temperatures range from 10 degrees Fahrenheit to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

The fruits on creeping cucumber vines are safe to eat when they are unripe—at this point, they are light green with stripes and look like tiny watermelons. The fruits are about the size of a jellybean and are green inside with white seeds. You can eat these small ripe fruits, which taste like a slightly sour cucumber, raw with the peel on.

Since the vine produces new fruits regularly, it is common to find both ripe and unripe fruits on the same vine.

Creeping cucumber fruits become toxic once ripened. The fruit turns a solid black or purple when it ripens, with an appearance similar to a black olive. The black fruit can have a sudden and strong laxative effect, which can lead to severe dehydration.

Certain outdoor activities carry an elevated risk of serious injury. Wilderness scenarios require extensive survival gear, including but not limited to food, water, maps, protective clothing, and first aid, along with mental and physical fortitude. This article is for educational and informational purposes, and is not a substitute for hard skills and expertise.

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