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Looking for an annual vine that is native to North America and can climb over shrubs and fences or trail along the ground? Look no further than Echinocystis lobata, also known as wild cucumber, prickly cucumber or balsam apple. This plant produces stems that can grow as long as 25 ft and climb with the help of coiling, branched tendrils. It has five palmate lobes, monoecious flowers that are pollinated by insects, and its fruit is a prickly, inflated capsule with four seeds that resembles a tiny spiny watermelon.
This plant prefers a sunny position in a well-drained rich soil with abundant moisture. The seeds can be sown early in the spring in a rich compost in a greenhouse and usually germinate within 1-2 weeks at 68ºF. The plant is self-fertile and can be used for cultivated beds or as a climbing plant in an ordinary garden.
Echinocystis lobata has been used medicinally by Native Americans for thousands of years. The powdered root can be used as a poultice for headaches, while a very bitter tea brewed from the roots is analgesic and also used as a love potion. It is also used as a bitter tonic for alleviating stomach troubles, kidney ailments, rheumatism, chills, fevers, and more.
Overall, if you're looking for a versatile and beneficial native vine, give Echinocystis lobata a try. Its unique appearance and medicinal uses make it a plant worth considering for any garden or natural area.