Sicyos angulatus
oneseed bur cucumber
Attracts Pollinators
Native to North America
SunFull Sun – Part Shade
WaterMedium
Overview
Sicyos angulatus is an annual climbing vine in the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), with angled, hairy stems that scramble and climb 15-25 feet (4.5-7.5 m) by means of branched, coiling tendrils. The leaves are broad and maple-like, 3-8 inches (8-20 cm) wide, with three to five shallow pointed lobes and toothed edges, borne on long stalks. The plant is monoecious, carrying separate male and female flowers on the same vine: small greenish-white to pale yellow male flowers are held in loose, long-stalked clusters, while the female flowers sit in tight, stalkless head-like clusters. The female flowers develop into clusters of small dry fruits, each about 0.4-0.6 inch (10-15 mm) long, covered in slender barbed spines and holding a single seed. S. angulatus grows along riverbanks, floodplains, fence rows, thickets, and disturbed moist ground across eastern and central North America. It germinates in spring, grows rapidly through summer, and dies at frost. Its fast, smothering growth lets a single plant blanket shrubs and small trees, and it is treated as a weed in crops and along waterways.
Native Range
Native to eastern and central North America, from Quebec and Ontario south to Florida and Texas. It grows on riverbanks, floodplains, moist thickets, fence rows, woodland edges, and disturbed ground, often climbing over shrubs and streamside vegetation.Suggested Uses
Rarely planted by choice, it appears mainly as a volunteer on riverbanks, fence rows, and disturbed moist ground. Its flowers are visited by bees and other insects, and its dense cover gives shelter to small wildlife. In gardens, crops, and managed banks it is treated as an aggressive weed rather than an ornamental vine.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height15' - 25'
Width/Spread6' - 15'
Bloom Information
Flowers from summer into early fall, mainly July through September, with male and female clusters appearing together along the climbing stems. Flowering continues as the vine grows through the warm season. Bloom ends and seeds ripen before the first frost kills the plant.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
greenish-white to pale yellowFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 5-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Water & Climate
Water Needs
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Sicyos angulatus grows in full sun to part sun on moist, fertile soils with a pH near 6.0 to 7.5, favoring damp ground along streams and in floodplains. It needs steady moisture and grows fastest in rich, disturbed soil, climbing over any nearby support. As an annual it dies with frost, but it self-seeds heavily and returns each year where the ground is moist and open. Its rapid, smothering growth can overwhelm shrubs, fences, and crops, so it is often controlled rather than planted. Pulling young vines before they set seed limits its spread. It needs no fertilizer on fertile bottomland soils.Pruning
No pruning is needed for this annual. Vines can be pulled or cut at the base through the growing season to keep them off shrubs and structures. Removing plants before the spiny fruits ripen reduces self-seeding the following year.✓ Toxicity
Non-toxicPlanting Guide
Planting Methods & Timing
Planting Method
direct sow
Direct Sow Timing
spring after last frost
Plant Spacing
24 inches