Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Sunday - December 18, 2011
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification, Edible Plants
Title: Ground cover plant that tastes like cucumbers
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
It is a native ground cover plant that is edible and tastes like cucumbers. Found in the Edwards Plateau. What is the name?ANSWER:
I think most probably you are talking about Parietaria pensylvanica (Pennsylvania cucumber plant). You can see its distribution in Texas on the USDA Plants Database map. Here is more information and photos from Southwest Environmental Information Network and still more photos. Delena Tull in Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest says:
"Try a nibble of the small leaves and juicy stems of Parietaria. Though not related to the cucumber, the flavor of this tiny herb comes close to that of the garden cucumber. The herb provides a refreshing addition to salads."
From the Image Gallery
More Plant Identification Questions
Identification of flower that looks like Callirhoe in NC
June 12, 2012 - Have a flower similar to callirhoe, but the blossum is fuchia, not purple and the foliage is light sage in color and fuzzy. It is very invasive. What is it? If you have an email address, I can send...
view the full question and answer
Botanical name for \
August 05, 2007 - A friend gave me a garden flower plant called "clown face".
What is the botanical name and where can I get info about it?
view the full question and answer
Identity of an Astragalus species near Terlingua, TX
May 14, 2013 - I have been photographing as many of the wildflowers that I can this Spring 2013 season here in the Big Bend Area between BBNP, Terlingua and Alpine, TX. Two days ago I took a drive from Terlingua to ...
view the full question and answer
Assistance in photographing Turnera diffusa in Rio Grande Valley
March 20, 2006 - Do you know where I can photograph a specimen of Turnera diffusa Willd. ex J.A. Schultes var. aphrodisiaca? I'll be in Texas in May and it is on my list to try and locate. I understand it grows in ...
view the full question and answer
Identity of groundcover in Parker County, TX
June 02, 2013 - I'm trying to identify a native "groundcover" that looks much like frogfruit, as far as the leaves and growth pattern, but has small yellow flowers that look like little lanterns as buds. I know it...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |