This plant volunteered in one of my planter boxes in the garden. I left it alone, thinking it was a watermelon vine. Instead, it grew UP and has put out thorns and flowers. It’s next to a basil plant, if that gives you a sense of scale.
For those who can’t see it:
– It’s about 12 inches tall
– Leaves shaped sorta kinda like oak leaves, or watermelon leaves
– Clusters of bright yellow flowers. When the flowers close, they develop into thorny balls. No idea what these will later become.
– Thorns on the stems as well
Could it be a mutant watermelon? Is it something else entirely? I’m too impatient to wait for the end of the summer.
ETA: Damn. Can’t edit the spelling in my thread title.
Woah. That’s it. And apparently, it’s nasty (I guess the “nightshade” in its name should have been a giveaway, there). I have a wee little flock of chickens that I let roam around the yard, so I’ll dig it out ASAP, before they try nibbling on it.
Yeah, that’s one scary-looking plant. Quite the defense system it’s got there. You should probably wear gloves when you pull it, and then salt the earth after.
Wow. I have never seen that plant in my life before until this year. I have several of them growing in my yard and was planning on getting rid of them this weekend. If I can be nosy, where are you Beadalin?
Not a plant expert, but I thought it looked kinda like the tomato plants my wife is growing on the balcony. Pleasantly surprised to see I’m not all that far off.
I know, I was surprised by the range, too. It’s labelled as noxious and invasive, so naturally it’s also really successful. Ugh. I had such hopes for it to be something tasty, too.
