Cucurbita palmata – “Coyote Gourd”

Also Known As: Coyote Melon, Palmate-Leaved Gourd
Family: Squash (Cucurbitaceae)
Bloom Period: Apr-Sep
Form: Annual vine, trailing when it can’t climb
Habitat: Sandy soils and washes and roadsides
Leaves: Palmately-lobed, with lobes that vary in shape and depth; alternate
Translation: “Cucurbita” is Latin for “gourd”; “palmata” comes from the Latin word for “palm” and describes the shape of leaves
Notes: Very similar in appearance to other species in the same genus, which hybridize (interbreed) freely with each other. Round fruits about the size of a tennis ball start out green and turn yellow and then tan as they mature. When dry, the seeds rattle inside and they make decent little maraca shakers. The fruit is quite bitter to the taste, which is why Native Americans gave this plant its name: because it’s only good for Coyotes.
Native American Uses: Pueblo Indians used the juice as an insect repellent.
Animal Associations: Certain species of squash and gourd bees live exclusively off of the nectar and pollen of desert gourds and they can sometimes be found sleeping in the blossoms after they have collected their bounty.