Is this Achocha?

[veggiechicken]

Found this plant amongst the weeds today - near a spot where I tried to grow achocha last year. Didn't have any fruit last year and I forgot all about it.
If it is achocha, it has survived the winter and moved itself about 3' from where it was planted.
What do the Achocha growers think?

[poly]

A Fat Baby, gotcha!

[veggiechicken]

Thanks poly Would you expect them to survive the winter outdoors in Sunshiny South Wales

[snakeshack]

Looks just like my achoca and my exploding cucumber , but mine are just finishing fruiting now.


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[poly]

Thanks poly Would you expect them to survive the winter outdoors in Sunshiny South Wales

You are not that far from me either way and it was a fairly mild winter, but no I be surprised to find it had overwintered. I think some are perennial, not sure if they all are? They do self seed here, more often in the poly-tunnel and out doors occasionally. They even spring up after a couple of years break from growing them so the seed must remain viable for a year or so.

You may get some fruit yet

[veggiechicken]

Thanks, SS and Poly. I hope it does fruit, I've never seen a Fat Baby - or eaten one! In fact, those tiddly little fruit in the photo are the first I've seen, in 2 years of trying to grow them. Didn't bother this year and one appears from nowhere
We did have a very mild winter in Cardiff and its growing under some apple trees - quite shady and protected. Fingers crossed it fruits

[Scarlet]

Yes, that's a fat baby! Are you sure it didn't fruit last year and self seeded itself? They grow really well in my garden, mine are still fruiting.

[veggiechicken]

Didn't see any Babies last year. The plants went yellow and withered away and I just left them be.

[Scarlet]

Well mine usually get hit by frosts, but they are grown in my raised beds which I clear for the next crop. I've just found a link that says they can live for one year or several. As you've got it in a sheltered spot it may have resprouted?

http://myfolia.com/plants/2794-achoc...anthera-pedata

[veggiechicken]

The odd thing is, its not where I planted it but a few feet away. All I can think is that I uprooted it when I was weeding, chucked it in a heap of weeds alongside the path, and its regrown there. It was nearly weeded out today too, until I noticed the unusual leaves amongst the docks.
I'll have another look tomorrow, see if I can find where it starts. I like mystery plants

[Hazel at the Hill]

Apologies, I'm late to the party! I can add that I grew achocha in a container in the courtyard garden a few years ago and it went crackers, with tons of fat baby fruit.

Er - I hope that you are not holding out for a taste explosion, though - even if you do manage to get fruit from yours. They come under the okra/courgette heading in terms of culinary experience for me - i.e. on their own, boring as heck. OK fried in butter with garlic, or in chutney, etc

[Alison]

The odd thing is, its not where I planted it but a few feet away. All I can think is that I uprooted it when I was weeding, chucked it in a heap of weeds alongside the path, and its regrown there. It was nearly weeded out today too, until I noticed the unusual leaves amongst the docks.
I'll have another look tomorrow, see if I can find where it starts. I like mystery plants

Would have thought it's much more likely that it's self sown from the original plant's fruits. I get tomatillos all over the place every year, I do sometimes wonder why I bother sowing my own rather than just transplanting.