Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Cucurbitaceae

Genus:

Marah (Kellogg | - m)

Species:

Marah macrocarpus

USDA Symbol:

MAMA8

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb , Vine

Height:

900 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

jan,feb,mar,apr,may

Bloom Colors:

white, cream

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, birds, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from large tuberous root after fire or mechanical damage. Common in chaparral and coastal sage scrub fire regimes.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

Commonly found in coastal sage scrub and chaparral habitats.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Large seeds benefit from scarification and cold stratification. Germination can be erratic; sow in fall for natural stratification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI