No clue but you have my curiosity up. I hope you don't get any Willy Wonka like side effects from eating the unknown.lol

I hope you keep some seeds and try for next year!
I tried a spineless cucumber that is new to me this summer; "Armenian Yard Long" from Ferry Morse. It's pale green, ribbed and have found no bitterness in any yet.
Always something new!
Bev

OK, I have a tiny cucumber plant in captivity now, here at my desk. It's growing fine under the fluorescent light. Hopefully it will climb the power cord toward the light then set some fruit (might have to get it a mate for that, I guess!)

-Regina

What perfect timing! I think I can solve your mystery for you -- I've had a mystery "tiny cucumber" vine growing in my greenhouse for the past 3 years, with no clue to its identity, despite the enormous amount of time I spent reading books on taxonomy and other horticultural information. Anyway, last week or so I posted a description on the "name that plant" forum, and within two hours someone had suggested the Creeping Cucumber, or Guadalupe Cucumber, Melothria pendula. I checked out the link, and THAT'S IT!!! It sounds you have the same thing.... tiny little smooth fruits with a cucumber smell, small leaves, tendrils, and little yellow flowers (although mine are more orange... by the way, the hummingbirds LOVE them -- do you get any hummers on yours?)

So, check out the link below and see if it looks right to ya!

Here is a link that might be useful: Melothria pendula

That's it! That's it!!!! I, too, posted it on the "Name That Plant" forum awhile back, but at that time I never received a response. THANK YOU for this name! Now I can really research it like I want to.

So today I was at the UT Trial Gardens today and I saw Guadeloupe cucumber climbing through one of their beds. Apparently it gets around!

-Regina

Shucks, I thought we pulled all those buggers out last Thursday! LOL!

They're all over the UT beds. And now I have em at home too, since I transplanted one last spring -- not knowing what it was!

I have one in a pot on my desk here at work, growing up the light cord toward the fluorescent...

And I've sprouted a few seeds in a pot at home outside. I want to see if, with a little TLC, it can be made to produce bigger/better etc. mini cukes.

By the way, I emailed an expert in plant toxicology who had mentioned this plant in a compendium of toxic plants. He feels the fruits are not toxic, but that, like many plants, eating the leaves, etc. might give one the runs. So into my salad go these cute little cukes!

amazindirt -- you mentioned they're all over the UT beds, and that you probably now have them at home -- would you consider this plant invasive, or obnoxiously hard to get rid of? I have people wanting some seeds for themselves, but before I start handing them out I'd like to make sure these folks aren't going to hate me next year for giving them a kudzu equivalent!

I read somewhere else that they could become invasive, but so far I haven't had a problem with mine.

Well, I'm probably not the best person to ask. After all, I *like* ground ivy! LOL.

I would say it is mildly invasive, but not hard to pull up. In ideal situations like the UT perennial beds, it is certainly spreading a good bit -- but in my yard at home, I've only gotten a coupla volunteers. Not really a big deal, IMHO, and it *does* have pretty little leaves. :-)

Rizzir, the wild cuke grows well here in Oklahoma, too. I also like the fruits, but have to pick them when really small [3/8" across] or the seeds are tough. It's a novelty to find wild edibles in the yard and garden.

Ok, then I'll pass it along without worrying about it. Thanks for the info! :)

(speaking of ground ivy -- which has become my lifelong nemesis, I'm afraid -- this past weekend my cousin proudly showed me this cute little groundcover that had sprung up all on its own in her brand new flowerbeds, and was quickly filling in all available space. Yep, ground ivy.)

We just bought 3 plants today. They're called "Mouse Melon" or "Mexican Gherkin" and their botanical name is Melothrie scabra. We will plant them in a 5 gallon container with a climbing support. They look just like miniature cuke plants. Can't wait to see the fruits!

Hi, the ivy I found growing this spring in minnesota is trailing up my downspouts and the big green pods are the size of roma tomatoes and have somewhat soft spikes all around them! I cut one in half,and there is 4 brown seeds in them. Can I plant them next spring,and how should I keep them untill them? Thank you so much for your time.I also would like to know what kind of ivy it is. I too love ivy's!!

HI There, these tiny cucumbers are called "Wild Cucmber - Melothria pendula". They can be sometimes found in Caribbean bushes, thought to have sprouted from seeds found in bird droppings.

The green cucumbers are said to be edible, BUT the Black one is NOT edible some say.

Thanks for your posts, keep well everyone

Sources:
http://cucurbitaceae.livejournal.com/2182.html

http://www.landrethseeds.com/catalog/popup_image.php?pID=5114

http://www.landrethseeds.com/catalog/children_garden.php

Thanks to this information. Now i know that the small wild cucumber-like weeds growing here in our town in Sibonga, Cebu, Philippines is a Guadeloupe cucumber. This type of plant is actually unknown to us until i notice it early 2011 and it grows everywhere in abundance.I thought it as a weed so we burn it down but it keeps growing and I thought it as a wild fruit so i taste some. I tasted two pieces of immature green fruit and the ripe deep green colored one. well i was ok. I believe the birds brought some seeds here coz' there are some colored birds passing in our area. And oh just now i read that the black ripe Guadeloupe cucumber is poisonous. While, the green immature fruit is edible and can be use in salad. Thanks to this information.

Here is a link that might be useful: Melothria Pendula