urb ita ▁cord ata , ▁C uc urb ita ▁cyl ind r ata , ▁ ▁and ▁C uc urb ita ▁pal m ata ▁and ▁all ▁these ▁species ▁hy brid ize ▁readily . ▁These ▁species ▁form ▁the ▁only ▁restricted ▁x er oph y te ▁species ▁group ▁in ▁the ▁genus ▁C uc urb ita . ▁Each ▁member ▁of ▁this ▁species ▁group ▁is ▁native ▁to ▁the ▁South western ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁North western ▁Mexico ▁where ▁they ▁are ▁relatively ▁un common . ▁Each ▁group ▁member ▁is ▁found ▁in ▁hot , ▁ar id ▁regions ▁with ▁low ▁ra inf all . ▁They ▁prefer ▁soil ▁that ▁is ▁loose , ▁gra vel ly , ▁and ▁well - dra ined . ▁C . ▁digit ata ▁is ▁native ▁to ▁ ▁northern ▁B aja ▁California ▁at ▁higher ▁elev ations , ▁northern ▁Son ora , ▁Mexico , ▁southern ▁Arizona , ▁and ▁south western ▁New ▁Mexico . ▁The ▁ju ven ile ▁leaves ▁of ▁C . ▁cyl ind r ata , ▁C . ▁cord ata , ▁C . ▁digit ata , ▁ ▁and ▁C . ▁pal m ata ▁show ▁a ▁high ▁degree ▁of ▁similarity , ▁but ▁their ▁m ature ▁leaves ▁are ▁vis ibly ▁different , ▁as ▁are ▁their ▁root ▁structures . ▁C . ▁pal m ata ▁and ▁C . ▁digit ata ▁are ▁sym pat ric , ▁with ▁C . ▁pal m ata ▁separ ating ▁the ▁ranges ▁of ▁C . ▁digit ata ▁at ▁the ▁jun ct ure ▁of ▁B aja ▁California , ▁California , ▁and ▁Arizona . ▁C . ▁digit ata ▁f ruits ▁are ▁clear ▁green ▁m ott