Bloomipedia
Creeping cucumber (Melothria pendula)
Photo: Nonbinary-Naturalist via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized

Flower profile

Creeping cucumber

Melothria pendula

Native to Oklahoma

Creeping cucumber is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.

20states
365OK sightings*
9,463U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Oklahoma

Quick look

Melothria pendula is a plant in the Benincaseae tribe. The plant is especially prominent in the Southeastern United States. The plant resembles the cultivated cucumber, possessing miniature yellow flowers, similar leaf shape, same leaf patterns, as well as similar growth patterns. The unripe berries strongly resemble minuscule watermelons.

  • It belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a vine with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 20 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Oklahoma. NatureServe
  • iNaturalist has 365 research-grade sightings of it in Oklahoma, ranking #98 among the 110 flowers on our Oklahoma list. iNaturalist

Creeping cucumber gift ideas

Handmade creeping cucumber gifts from independent makers.

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (636 records)

There are only a handful of Oklahoma flowering records, so this chart uses records from across the U.S.

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Oklahoma
No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oklahoma.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: DC (S1), IN (S2), KS (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleCaution: partly edible, partly poisonous

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: fruits, seeds. Symptoms they list: “Causes low toxicity when eaten. The ripe berries are a strong laxative and can cause diarrhea.” They also note: “The berries, when unripe and light green can be eaten raw but can have a strong laxative effect, especially when black and ripe.” NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records creeping cucumber in 20 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia; District of Columbia.

Oklahoma counties with USDA records: Alfalfa, Atoka, Bryan, Canadian, Cherokee, Cleveland, Comanche, Custer, Delaware, Logan, Love, Marshall, Mayes, McCurtain, Murray, Muskogee, Noble, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Osage, Payne, Tulsa.

More Oklahoma flowers

Buffalo gourd (Cucurbita foetidissima)

Buffalo gourd

Cucurbita foetidissima

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in OK
Green antelopehorns (Asclepias viridis)

Green antelopehorns

Asclepias viridis

Native

🌼 Blooms in OK: April–July
Texas paintbrush (Castilleja indivisa)

Texas paintbrush

Castilleja indivisa

Native

🌼 Blooms in OK: March–July

Sources