A Random Vine in the Garden / 19th April Update

A cucurbit vine started growing in our flower garden and headed skywards using our hibiscus plants as support.
It’s obviously come from a random seed.
Whether it’s a pumpkin, zucchini or cucumber who knows although I should know from the leaf shape.
So far it’s only produced male flowers, no female fruiting ones.

Vines employ numerous climbing methods.

They can be divided into four basic types ; twiners, hookers, clingers and climbers.
I think ours is a climber ie. it sends out tendrils that coil rapidly about a potential support upon contact.
The plant’s growing tips are sensitized so that they are constantly "feeling around" for a host with a rotary motion. The tendrils produced by certain plants can be extremely sensitive.

Tendrils are slim, delicate outgrowths, produced in pairs from the leaves or stems. They move back and forth as they elongate with a motion caused by unequal growth rate on the two sides. Once contact is made, the tips form a tight coil about the support.

Plants’ growing characteristics are always very fascinating, to me, anyway.
Will update if any fruit appear.
Technical Notes Source: George Ellison, Nature Journal.

Update: 19th April

Fruit!

Looks like, from the markings, it could be a Kent pumpkin.

Update: 1st May

Sadly both fruits self aborted despite some human pollination intervention.