Balsam gourd is a climbing vine that can be found growing in rocky soil or on fences and brush in the Edwards Plateau. The yellow flowers are 1/4- 1/2 inch in diameter and bloom between April and September. The fruit is an orange color to bright red with soft fleshy skin and can get up to 2 inches in diameter. The leaves are approximately 4 1/2 inches wide and are commonly three-lobed, but they can have five-lobes or no lobes. The seeds are eaten by scaled quail, and the leaves are occasionally eaten by white tailed deer. |