Wild cucumber type of plant - Ask Extension
Hello,
There is a I'm pretty sure a bunch of wild cucumber that grows in a garden I'm at in stillwater, MN. But there's some of it that has the same ...
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Wild cucumber type of plant #882968
Asked August 26, 2024, 9:02 AM EDT
Hello,
There is a I'm pretty sure a bunch of wild cucumber that grows in a garden I'm at in stillwater, MN. But there's some of it that has the same looking leaves and is a vine, and the flowers look similar. But the seed pod is 4 small pods grouped together, and the pods have like cactus spines all over them that need to be pulled out with a tweezers when they stick in the skin. I can try to get a picture a bunch of it was pulled down. Is that maybe a different variety of wild cucumber or something else?
Thank you,
Jacob
Washington County Minnesota
Expert Response
Your explanation leads me to believe you have bur cucumber growing. While it is similar to wild cucumber it does have multiple pods and is known for burrs that imbed themselves in the skin. Below are links with information and photos for both plants.
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/bur-cucumber
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/wild-cucumber
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/bur-cucumber
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/wild-cucumber
Interesting thank you! Here are pictures that makes sense then it's burr cucumber. Those burrs are nasty.