Goldencreeper

Widely considered a field weed, it's naturalized in Europe and in North America. It's considered invasive in Japan. Reproduces quickly by...Read More forming underground tubers.

Intolerant of shade.

The fruits are about 1 x 2 inches, and were traditionally eaten by the Chinese in traditional medicine.

Grows 2-6 m wide and up to 2 m tall. Climbs by branched tendrils.

The leaves are covered with hooked hairs that make them like Velcro.

The perennial dioecious climber to 6m (20 ft) long. Frost hardy to at least zone 6a (it grows in wild state, escaped, in this zone in nor...Read Moreth-east Poland). This plant creates round or oblong tubers (similar to potatoes but edible probably after processing, not simply boiled) and tasty red fruits (which resemble Passion Fruit inside) which are considered as edible when fully ripe. In my experience I can say that fruits are very delicious, aromatic and very sweet, but edible in raw state only in small amounts (because they irritate throat during eating - probably contain calcium oxalate raphides). But long boiled flesh of fruits loses irritating qualities and is very delicious even in large doses. Very ornamental climber - numerous yellow flowers and red fruits. To obtaining fruits it is necessary a hand pollinating of the flowers, because inside of them there is fat oil (not nectar) - what do not like European bees. But thanks of this feature this plant is not very problematic as invasive - it spreads only by tubers in this continent.

This plant is dioecious, so you must have both male and female plants to obtain fruit. It can also be invasive by root runners, so take ...Read Morecare in siting. Also known as Manchurian Tuber-gourd. Grows well in Milwaukee (Zone 5b).