Halloween Discussion Forums, Costumes, Horror!

Hey guys. I wanted to share a decoration I use for Halloween. They are pretty strange and alien looking (at least to me...). These are the seed pods of a plant that I grow named Proboscidea parviflora var. hohokamiana. Their common name is the Devil's Claw Pant.

It is related to sesame plants and grows fruit that look like very long, green peppers. When ripe, the flesh falls off the fruit and the hard inner seed pod is left over. The seed pod then splits open revealing the claw-like design. They have hooks so that that pod can hook onto large animals (grazers) and aid in seed dispersal. The hooks are very sharp and are known to be noxious towards cattle and horses in the southwest. The plant itself is a pseudo-carnivore.

Anyway, I thought these things were so cool when I first saw them that I have been growing them for two years now and plan to continue for years to come.


Here are some pictures:

Those look wicked, pseudo-carnivore? So they eat meat? ACCCCKKKKK!!!

Nah... pseudo mean false. They (the plants foliage) can capture insects, but not digest them. I have a couple of flytraps though, and those are fully carnivorous. I don't use those as decorations though as the kid would poke them too much.

Looks like something Morticia Addams would cultivate in their solarium.

Whoah! I love these!!! They look completely alien.
I'm going to see what I can do about trying to grow some!!
Thanks Joosa

Thanks. If any of you are interested in how to grow them, check out my growing journal. It has all the details on how I grew them during my first time. Here is the link:

http://terraforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112586

I will have seed available later once I finish harvesting and seed extraction. I can offer seed for a self-addressed stamped envelope if anyone is interested. Feel free to send me a PM.

I definitely will, thanks for the link.

those are pretty awesome good imagination!