Really, y’all are just cracking me up with your comments on this post. Some of you suggested it might be edible (scary weed pie, anyone?), others said to keep it away from my kids because it’s toxic. And an alarming number of you agreed that the Pod People have landed in my front yard. I was particularly fond of the idea that Tom Cruise might be inside.
Thankfully, I have a local friend who is a master gardener–she saw this picture and assured me it is a "weed seed pod". She explained in an e-mail:
As the pod dries out it will begin to resemble a misshapen okra pod. It will pop open at the ribs to expose fluffy seeds that will land everywhere and sprout like mad for next year. (The invasion theory was not far off.)
But, being your Trusty Investigative Blogger, I must see this for myself. So, donning my gloves for safety (I don’t want any alien juice on my hands) I decided to cut into it. I even used my beloved Cutco knife, because if I’m going toe-to-toe with the Pod People, I want only the finest weaponry:
Now, I’ve been joking about this, but I will confess that there was just a teensy part of me that was nervous as I sliced into it. I halfway expected to hear an inhuman scream coming from the bowels of the mother ship. But no screaming, and no alien lifeforms battling my Cutco. Just a bunch of what are clearly little seeds. Interestingly, the
thing has an edible smell–kind of like cucumber. But NO, we will not be having pod salad for Thanksgiving, thankyouverymuch.
Rocks In My Dryer 
Good to know you’re not being invaded by ninjas, but only weeds.
YOU CRACK ME UP GIRL!!!!!
I’m noticing the ever-so-fashionable protective Playtex rubber gloves…a brilliant idea considering that pod juice has been known to seep into your system and migrate to your brain through just such an endeavor as this! No telling what will happen when the pod juice hits…
That is so bizarre. I feel like I need to go search my yard to make sure I don’t have one of those.
You are one brave woman.
I looked at the pod in the previous post and had nothing helpful to add.
Tom Cruise is in Italy right now, silly. But John Travolta is unaccounted for…
although I didnt recognise it yesterday
I think your friend is right and I had something very similar growing in my garden when I lived in Auckland
make sure you get rid of it now!!!
My husband laughed his head off at me. Velvet Leaf and I guess we had them on the farm. Bad memories are easily forgotten. And yes, the spread like wildfire, kill them now and let us pray Tom Cruise is not inside.
Be really careful, okay? Seriously, getting the goo inside morning glory pods on you can cause painful hallucinations, rashes or even migraines that last several days.
Poison information can be found here:
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/Ipomotr.htm
Yuck, definitely don’t want Tom Cruise weeds sprouting up all over 😛
Hee, Hee, hee . . . so glad you are such a brave Trusty Investigative Blogger(TIB). Knowing you are on the job leaves me with no reason for insomnia at night. Maybe I’ll call you when I’m awake anyway?!?!
Glad you found the answer to the question plaguing blogdom : )
Who said big imaginations were just for kids! Very funny account!
Too odd!!!
Oh man! Those would be perfect for my Witch’s Apothecary next Halloween. I wonder if I could dry them and save them?
Slowly raising hand… mmm weed pie? Just kidding! Glad you figured it out!
Hope the pods don’t creep across the street to our yard! You are a scream!
Very smart of you to wear the gloves so that your lovely pink fingernails don’t distract us from the invasion that may be forthcoming. Has anyone called Will Smith yet? TODAY IS OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY!!
Okay…she’s done gone and lost her mind.
You Rock!
That is too hilarious!! Thank you for sharing the outcome of the weed invasion.
I LOVE the gloves. A very dainty touch, indeed!