During the summer, the wild cucumber does its growing unnoticed.  In the green groves of trees, it is barely visible.  Its 5-lobed leaves begin to spread.  The vine lengthens and reaches for a sturdy support on which to grow. As the summer season passes on into August the vines are apparent to passersby. Tall trees support the vines and leaves.  If unchecked, these vines can kill the supportive tree.

 

 

Also, in mid-August, we see  wild cucumber blossoms coming forth. They are delicate white flowers that decorate it’s fruiting stem.

 

 

 

I had no more patience today when I saw them on my trees.  I pulled down several of the vines climbing on our arbor. Besides pulling down vines, I severed the vines from the parent plant. My goal is to prevent the fruiting and new plant growth.

 

 

 

 

Blossoms, of course, form a fruit.  It is a spiny globe that will house seeds to plant more of their kind in the area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the end of the growing season, the spent wild cucumbers become ghostly shells.  The released seeds lurk silently awaiting the next growing season, ready to cover underbrush or trees in next year’s scenery.

 

 

photo credit:Wenda Grabau
photo credit:Wenda Grabau
photo credit:Wenda Grabau
photo credit: aarongunnar via photopin cc
photo credit: Shezamm via photopin cc