# We called the plant "cheesies"



## GoatsRus (Jan 19, 2003)

Ok, I know this will probably be hard to answer without a picture (I'll try to get one this weekend) anyway, I noticed a plant growing in our pasture in the middle of the red clover. I thought it was some type of melon because of the leaves. I figured the seed got dropped by a bird. Now that the plant is a little taller, it's something we called "cheesies" when I was a kid. The leaves look like a type of melon plant, but they don't run, they grow straight. I don't think the plant gets taller than a foot or so. It has little round discs on it that are wrapped in a green leaf covering - kind of like when you get a round of cheese that has a paper wrapping. I guess that's where we got the name "cheesies". I asked my Mom about it yesterday (she's 84) and she remembers the plants and said that's what she called them as a little girl and she learned to eat them when she was little and told us about them. Needless to say, we use to eat them all the time when we lived on a farm up north and this is the first time I've seen them on our farm here in TN. Apparently they're not poisonous since we kids and Mom are still around, but I was just curious now as to what the real name is.


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## birdie_poo (May 10, 2002)

Does it flower yellow or orange?


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## marvella (Oct 12, 2003)

do they look like a paper lantern?? could it be ground cherry?


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## Tater'sPa (Jun 27, 2002)

http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/37980/


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## birdie_poo (May 10, 2002)

Tater'sPa said:


> http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/37980/


That's a common mallow around here, but I don't think that is what's been described.

The leaves on this mallow look more like a geranium, and the cheese wheel doesn't get big enough to eat...but it was the first thing that came to my mind.


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## Wildcrofthollow (Apr 20, 2005)

Just guessin' here:

There is a plant that I learned as Cheeses as well. It's other name is Common Mallow, Malva neglecta. And yes the "cheeses" are edible


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## Tater'sPa (Jun 27, 2002)

birdie_poo said:


> That's a common mallow around here, but I don't think that is what's been described.
> 
> The leaves on this mallow look more like a geranium, and the cheese wheel doesn't get big enough to eat...but it was the first thing that came to my mind.



Sure sounds like the same plant I grew up knowing as cheeses


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## GoatsRus (Jan 19, 2003)

You guys are amazing. That's the plant (cheese mallow). I'll have to tell my Mom! :haha:


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