California Man-Root
Marah fabacea
Gourd Family (Cucurbitaceae)
Native
Key Identifying Characteristics
A mounding, sprawling vine with yellow-green to white colored flowers, stout hairy stems, curlicue tendrils for gripping and round prickly fruit. Many tendrils off the stem make it a great climber, often over other vegetation. Found only in California.
Similar To
For a comparison of California and Coastal Man-Roots, see
PlantID Man-Root comparison
Height / Size
Can rapidly climb or scramble to a length of 20 feet.
Leaves
Broad glossy green leaves with 5 – 7 slight lobes and often a large “U” at their base. (Leaves on the Coastal Man-Root often are darker green, rougher in texture, and deeper notched.)
Flower
Man-Roots are monoecious. They have male (staminate) and female (pistilate) flowers on the same plant. The tiny star-shaped flowers have 5 or 6 petals on a flat base and range in color from yellow-green to cream to white. Staminate flowers are on stalks with numerous blooms, generally multi-branched. A single pistalite flower (female) is at the base of the male stalk, usually hidden by foilage. (The flowers tend to be smaller and the flower base has a flatter cup than Coastal Man-Root.)
Bloom Time: February to June
Fruit / Seed
The fruit appears from May to October. It is noticeable: a large, green, prickly or spiky spherical capsule about 2 inches across with 2-4 large, brown seeds. The fruit is poisonous and when ripe can burst if touched or shaken. The liquid inside is an eye irritant. (Coastal Man-Root fruit is more oblong and striped.)
Habitat
Coastal Strand, Mixed Evergreen Forest, Foothill Woodland, Chaparral, Streamsides, washes, shrubby open areas.
Location / Range
All trails. Widespread in California. Mainly coastal but as far lnland as the western edge of the central valleys.
Lifespan
Long lived perennial
Fascinating / Fun Facts
Also known as Wild Cucumber. The root, a tuber, is massive. It can be 5 feet long and weigh over 150 pounds with swollen lobes and arm-like extensions. The root of a Marah macrocarpa at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden weighed 467 lbs. Hybrids between California Man-Root and the other species are common. The vines appear in late winter in response to increased rainfall; but go dormant in the summer. Grows in full sun and takes very low water.
Sources:
Calscape
Calflora
Jepson eFlora
FriendsofEdgewood.org
Allhouse, Doug and Nelson, David. San Bruno Mountain. Heydey, Berkeley, California. 2022, pg 204-206
Corelli, T. 2004. Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve (2nd. ed.). Monocot Press, Half Moon Bay, California. pg 134
VanderWerf, Barbara. 1994. Montara Mountain. Gum Tree Lane Books, El Granada, CA. pg 67