Malabar gourd, Fig-leaf gourd

Where does Malabar gourd grow?

Found in: Africa, Andes, Angola, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Central America, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, East Africa, Ecuador, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Japan, Kenya, Macedonia, Mexico, North America, Pacific, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, SE Asia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Tanzania, Venezuela

Notes: There are 25 Cucurbita species.

Status: It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Growing Malabar gourd, Fig-leaf gourd

Cultivation: It is grown from seed. Seed are planted at the start of the rainy season.

Edible Uses: Young fruits can be eaten raw and ripe fruit are boiled. The flesh of the ripe fruit is used to prepare sweets. They are cut into pieces, soaked in lime for 12 hours then washed and boiled with sugar and apple twigs. The seeds can be roasted and eaten. The young stems are eaten The flowers are cooked and eaten.

Production: Mature fruit will store for a year. A plant can produce 50 fruit. A fruit can contain 500 seed.

Nutrition Info

References

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