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Creeping Cucumber

Melothria pendula

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in bottomland forests, moist roadsides and disturbed areas, marshes. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

26
Good

Native to Louisiana (estimated). How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 88%

Light
Full sun
Soil moisture
Usually moist
Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
June to November

Not yet recorded · Height · Spread

Recorded in 63 Louisiana parishes.

Natural habitats

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

1 of 3

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

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

Freshwater marshes

Open, herb-covered wetlands with fresh, non-tidal water.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

3CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including LA

Genus host records with ranges including LA · Melothria

  • Diaphania modialisCucumberworm Moth
  • Diaphania nitidalisPickleworm Moth
  • Diaphania infimalis
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
1BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Melothria

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Cucurbitaceae
Hardiness
Zones 8a–11b
Soil pH
Acidic to neutral
Flower color
Yellow

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

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Guadeloupe Cucumber; Melonette

Conservation status

Louisiana rankSNR
Global rankG5?
LA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources