Mystery Vine: Large Leaves, Yellow Flowers, and Gourd-Like Fruit

A Michigan gardener planted flower seeds but got a vigorous vine with large leaves, big yellow flowers, and developing gourd-like fruit—nothing like the package picture. Without a photo, identification is guesswork, but the description matches several cucurbits.

Likely Candidates

• Gourd (ornamental or hard-shell)
• Pumpkin or winter squash
• Cucumber (some varieties have large yellow flowers)
• Summer squash (e.g., zucchini, but fruit shape differs)

Why the Mix-Up?

• Seed packet contamination (wrong seeds packed)
• Volunteer from previous garden (seeds in compost/soil)
• Mislabeling at retailer

Next Steps

Post photos on a gardening forum (e.g., GardenWeb, Reddit's r/whatsthisplant) or use a plant ID app. In the meantime, enjoy the mystery vine—it may produce edible or decorative fruit!