Does an immature watermelon have stickers?

Question

I have a vine that came up voluntarily and looks like a watermelon vine. It has produced small fruits from yellow flowers that look like watermelons except they're covered with stickers. Is this a watermelon or a thorny weed?

I live in North Central Texas. The flowers and the fruit look just like the picture of the wild cucumber, but the leaves look different.

Would like flourescent_one to look at the following pictures at:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/[e-mail]/detail?.dir=/fe88re2&.dnm=4645re2.jpg&.src=ph

and also a video at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2slJbMAxb4

because it seems as though you have a lot of expertise in this area. I am really curious about this plant, although I'm pretty certain now it must be some kind of sticker weed that I've never before seen.

Answer 1

a thorny weed

Answer 2

My answer kind of depends on where you live. If you were on the west coast, I'd guess it's the common native wild cucumber (Marah sp.), which is cool but some consider a weed. It's hard to get rid of once established, but dies back to the root every fall.
What did the flowers look like? Squash and melon flowers are generally a couple inches across, and wild cucumber less than an inch.
Here's a picture of wild cucumber.

Answer 3

you say small fruits? if still immature let it ripen - the watermelons are either their usual size, or they are not watermelons but something else of the cucumber family - the vines look pretty the same whether it is melon, watermelon, cucumber, zucchini=courgette, pumpkin, or something wild. keep an eye on it what it develops into. i think all the fruit in this family have prickly hairs when young. You will recognize a melon when ripe, ok?

Answer 4

No watermelons have stickers, I am right now growing the plant from which watermelon was domesticated and it is smooth as can be, though cucumbers have very similar flowers and vining habits and they can be quite spiny. The melon and squash family (curcubits) hybridize well though, so you may be surprised with what you get, could be nothing recognizable.

Answer 5

Perhaps wait until the fruit ripens and see if the fruit looks like a watermelon? If not, pick it and show it to a horticulturist (someone who studies or raises plants) and they might be able to tell you what it is.

Though if it grew in the spot where everyone was spitting watermelon seeds at the picnic last year... Y'never know! ;o]

Answer 6

Yes, most definetly, all children love stickers, especially those little yellow smiley stickers from the old people who work at wal-mart. Why should a young watermelon be any different?

Answer 7

It could be something called an African Horned Cucumber (aka Kiwano or Jelly Melon).
Very juicy flesh without a bitter taste.To eat, cut in halves,spice with salt and lemon and then scoop out. Can also be mixed with tomatoes. Ripens in September.

Answer 8

It's probably a watermelon. Try eating it.

Answer 9

Sounds like a squash or lemon cumcumber.

Answer 10

you can easily tell if the stickers are scratch and sniff