I live in western Oregon, this just showed up in my planter bed one day. I first noticed it about mid-late summer. It never bloomed, these are the only pictures that I have.
Definately look like a pumpkin variety, and the flower part is at the very top of the plant, the other tings appear to be caterpillars
Thank you. What kind of flowers does it bloom and why did it have a catapeller crawling out of it? Is there a reason why it just showed up one day?
Sounds like a nasty piece of work. Would not want that to get loose out in my paddocks. I would say the caterpillar had been in an egg laid on the flower. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datura_stramonium Liz
Amongst the common names of the plant are Thorn apple, Loco weed, Ditch weed, and this gives you an insight to it being a nasty, the flower is similar to a pale yellowish trumpet, and can be spread by the wind rather like that of a dandelion as the seeds have a furry top so they can fly, my advice would be to dig out soonest and burn, using protective gloves. the crawler is drawn to the plant for nurishment but can prove a pest on other plants as well. trust this maybe helpful.
Very invasive via rampant self seeding ; the seeds are poisonous and possess hallucinogenic properties .
