Name that plant
Details:
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Region Photo Was Taken
Northeast
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City
New
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State
New York
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Posted by
LindaChron
Notes:
A FB acquaintance desires to identify this vine that she said is invasive and in her neighbor’s yard in NY; it produces large star-shaped ‘fruit’ or ‘pods’ with cactus-like prickles on them. I have searched online everywhere and cannot find anything like it! Can you help me help her? Thanks!
Comments
Walter Reeves Master Identifier says:
bur cucumber
December 15th, 2025 at 3:46pm
Stewart Unregistered says:
I disagree with identifying this as mestrosideros. It is not a tree, but a vine.
Look up Bur Cucumber plant (Sicyos angulatus) and I think you’ll find that this is the proper identification of that burr cluster on a vine. It’s native to North America, though it is considered “invasive” in crop fields. Typically lives near stream banks – exactly where I found mine in New Jersey climbing up a tree. The cucumber is not edible, and the vine is very prickly (I have it stuck in my shirt).
October 2nd, 2025 at 2:17pm
Hattie Lyons Unregistered says:
I found this 2 years ago growing on my fence. I still don’t know where it came from as it is in a wooded area and grows with the morning glory. The vine is prickly. What is it and how do I get rid of it?
December 29th, 2024 at 10:05pm
Teresa Unregistered says:
I have this in my back yard in upstate NY.
It’s September 2024 & summer is coming to an end-so the pods are coming out all over the vine.
They are a wild grape vine to my knowledge’ do produce little tiny purple or blueish grapes.
September 28th, 2024 at 3:38pm
Pete sasko Unregistered says:
I grew cucumbers.and they grew so wildthis is what I ended up with.
October 30th, 2023 at 7:12pm
sydney sheehe Unregistered says:
I have this in my yard and have no idea what it is. When I try to look it up all that comes up is wild Cucumber but that isn’t a star shape.
October 1st, 2023 at 2:09pm
Linda Lillegard Unregistered says:
9/16/23
I found this on a pine tree in Omaha Nebraska. Metrosideros?
September 16th, 2023 at 2:22pm
Linda C. Registered says:
Thank you so so much! WOW. I think you’ve nailed it 🙂
November 13th, 2015 at 8:25am
Walter Reeves The Georgia Gardener says:
Metrosideros, you are da man!
November 12th, 2015 at 4:52pm
Metrosideros Master Identifier says:
Likely Sicyos angulatus. http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=1861&display=photos
September 10th, 2015 at 5:47pm