Apodanthera undulata aka Melon Loco

Apodanthera undulata is a vine that lives for many years. It belongs to the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. Its common names include loco melon and coyote melon. Its home range runs from Arizona to Texas and northern Mexico. It grows in deserts, floodplains, dry fields, and ground people have disturbed. Kew calls it a tuberous geophyte. This means it has storage organs below ground. It suits hot, dry sites and can cope with drought.

The vine sprawls near the ground and smells bad. Tendrils help its stems climb over plants near it. Plants For A Future lists a size of 6.6 feet [2 metres] by 0.7 feet [0.2 metres]. This size refers to a climber, not an upright shrub. Its leaves feel rough and have wavy lobes. It grows at a moderate rate. The evidence says no more about stem texture or leaf colour.

Bright yellow flowers open in summer. They draw bees and other insects, which pollinate the blooms. The source notes that the corolla has separate lobes. The corolla is the set of petals. Fruits with hard shells ripen in autumn and have clear ridges. The shells help keep seeds from drying out before rain comes. Some small mammals may gnaw through the gourds to reach seeds. The fruit tastes so bitter that it has limited value as wildlife food.

Grow this vine in full sun, not shade. It needs soil that drains well. It accepts sand or loam, and poor soil suits it. Soil can range from mildly acid to mildly alkaline. It accepts dry or moist soil and can withstand drought. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 8–10. The stated way to grow new plants is from seed. Its stems spread and can help hold sand or disturbed soil. The source warns it may become a weed. It does not say how severe this risk is. The supplied evidence names no pests or diseases.

Take care with food use, despite reports of past famine use. Some accounts say Native Americans used the fruits and seeds. Others warn that seed oil is not edible and may be toxic. The fruits taste very bitter and may contain harmful compounds. The source warns against eating any part without a proven safe way to prepare it. It records no use as medicine. Proposed uses for the shells remain ideas, not established practices.