Echinopepon wrightii, Wild Balsam Apple
Scientific Name: Echinopepon wrightii
Common Name: Wild Balsam Apple
Also Called: Wild Balsam Apple, Wild Balsam-apple
Family: Cucurbitaceae, Cucumber or Gourd Family
Synonyms: (Elaterium wrightii)
Status: Native
Duration: Annual
Size: Up to 5 or 6 feet; needs woody trees or shrubs to gain height.
Growth Form: Forb/herb; climbing vine with tendrils, slender stems.
Leaves: Green; alternate, palmately divided, shallowly lobed.
Flower Color: White or cream; flowers small, male and female flowers fruit a capsule, ovoid and spiny.
Flowering Season: July to October.
Elevation: 3,000 to 4,000 feet.
Habitat Preferences: Climbing along washes and streams through existing woody vegetation in mid-elevations.
Recorded Range: Rare in the United where it is found in southern Arizona, southwest New Mexico and possibly Texas. It is also found in Baja California and northern Mexico.
North America & US County Distribution Map for Echinopepon wrighti.
U.S. Weed Information: No information available.
Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: No information available.
Wetland Indicator: In North America Echinopepon wrightii is included on the USDA 2012 National Wetland Plant List as a: Facultative (FAC) species.
FAC, Facultative, occur in wetlands and non-wetlands
Threatened/Endangered Information: No information available.
Comments: There are only 2 native species of Echinopepon in North America. However, the second species, Coulter's Balsam Apple, Echinopepon coulteri, was documented in New Mexico in 1955.