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Coyote Gourd

Cucurbita foetidissima

Found in roadsides, other disturbed areas. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Florida edition What its natural habitat tells you

—
Not native

Not native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 65%

Height
About 1 foot
Light
Partial shade, Full sun
Soil moisture
Dry to wet

At a glance

Bloom
May to August

Not yet recorded · Spread · Life cycle · Leaves

Recorded in 1 Florida county.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

14CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Cucurbita

  • Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
  • Diaphania hyalinataMelonworm Moth
  • Diaphania nitidalisPickleworm Moth
  • Eichlinia cucurbitaeSquash Vine Borer
  • Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
  • Feltia repletaReplete Dart
  • Feltia subterraneaSubterranean Dart, Granulate Cutworm
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
  • Proxenus mirandaMiranda Moth, Glistening Rustic
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Show all 14
  • Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
  • Trichoplusia niNi Moth, Cabbage Looper Moth
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
1Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Cucurbita

  • Xenoglossa strenua
Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Cucurbitaceae

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Buffalo Gourd; Calabacilla Loca; Chili Coyote; Foetid Gourd; Missouri Gourd

Conservation status

Florida rankNot available
Global rankNot available
FL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source

Native alternatives

Find natives for your garden

Sources