flowers are either male or female but both sexes can be found on the same plant). The plant blooms monoecious and imperfect flowers (i.e. Leaves are simple, alternate circular-ovate to reniform in outline, sinuate to lobe having serrate or entire margin, 18-25 cm across. When grown perennially, the vine becomes semi-woody.
Unlike other curcubits, it may root from leaf axils. The stem grows 5 to 15 meters and produces tendrils which help to climb adjacent plants and structures. Other common names are Angel’s Hair, Asian Pumpkin, Black-Seeded Gourd, Chilacayote, Chiverre, Fig-Leaf Gourd, Fig-Leaved Gourd, Malabar Gourd, Malabar Squash, Pie Melon, Shark Fin Melon, Siam Pumpkin, Thai Marrow, Thin Vermicelli Pumpkin, Black-seed squash, Cidra and Sidra.įigleaf Gourd is a climbing cine which grows well in temperate climates and perennial in tropical zones. Seeds are often used as fodder for livestock but are toxic to humans.Figleaf Gourd is a squash species which is cultivated for its edible seeds, green and fruit. The long varietals may then be ready when only 16-18 inches (40.5-45.5 cm.), while the shorter cultivars will be around 6-8 inches (15-20.5 cm.) in length.įully ripe fruit is quite inedible, orange, and mushy, although the red, jelly-like substance surrounding the seeds can be eaten much like a tomato sauce in recipes or used in ayurvedic medicine. Harvest snake gourds when young, around 40-50 days from planting. Some people tie a pebble or another weight to the flower end of the gourd to foster a straighter fruit, but this is just for aesthetics. Prune the plant’s lateral branches to increase fruit set and production. Snake gourd care is similar to that of most other gourds. Keep and plant many more seeds than you think you may need, as the germination rate is only about 60 percent. Seeds can be saved for the following season but toss out any light-colored or white seeds. Transplant outside much as you would bean plants in well-mixed organic matter and topsoil. Start the seeds indoors early after soaking overnight to increase germination time. Study the description of each, as some are smaller versions that might be more suitable for your garden. A number of varieties are available including: Make sure the structure is sturdy due to the weight of the large gourds. Apparently, the rule of thumb is that if you can grow lima beans in your area, you can grow snake gourds.įirst of all, snake gourds need a trellis or something that they can grow up - an arbor or a chain-link fence. For those of you lucky enough to enjoy a warmer, drier environment, growing these gourds in the home garden is well worth the attempt. Luckily, we are rife with Asian markets and I can obtain them there. My neck of the woods, the Pacific Northwest, isn’t a great place to grow this gourd. Snake gourds grow in tropical regions, so a similar climate is ideal for cultivating snake gourds.
#Figleaf gourd when to pick up how to#
Pretty interesting stuff, yes? I am guessing at this juncture you may be wondering how to grow snake gourds. Today, there is renewed interest in its cultivation due to the rapidly increasing Indian communities in these areas of the globe. They have long been known to the American and European community, but were never cultivated since the plant needs warm nights to fruit. Seeds of the snake gourd were sent to Europe from China in 1720. It can be used just like zucchini too - stuffed, baked, pickled, stir-fried, and is delicious in all manner of curries and vegetarian dishes.Įxtremely popular in Indian dishes, it’s no surprise that the snake gourd has found its way into ayurvedic medicine, often used as a cooling ingredient. This cucurbit originates in the Asian tropics and is borne from a rapidly growing annual vine with fruit that can reach up to 6 feet (1.8 m.) in length! You may also find it referred to as snake squash or club gourd, and it is often pickled with a texture akin to zucchini when young. Additional snake gourd info describes the interior of the striped, speckled fruit as being red, seeded, and slightly slimy.
cucumerina) that taste much like a cucumber. Ornamental snake gourds are long, hard-shelled gourds grown as a curio in the garden, while their counterparts are edible, wax-skinned gourds ( Trichosanthes anguina or T. What is a Snake Gourd?Īs its name not so cunningly suggests, a snake gourd is a gourd available in two varieties in the United States. What is a snake gourd and how do you care for a snake gourd plant? Read on to learn more. Related to Chinese bitter melons and a staple of many Asian cuisines, snake gourds are most likely found in an Asian market, or you may want to grow your own.
Looking eerily akin to dangling green serpents, snake gourds are not an item you will see available in the typical American supermarket.
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