(Oriental Luffa, Smooth Luffa, Vine Okra,
Discloth Gourd, Sponge Gourd, Dhundul - - Chinese)
Luffa cylindrica syn. L. aegyptiaca
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Annual vine, native to tropical Asia and Africa. In Ayurveda,
the immature fruits of Luffa are recommended to be used raw in salads as
a cooling demulcent. The young fruits may also be cooked, a tasty
vegetable that improves appetite, increases bile flow and helps in the
production of milk. The seeds are considered a delicacy when roasted
and salted. The seeds aare sometimes cold-pressed to produce an oil
similar to olive oil. The mature fruit may be dried and used as a
sponge, especially stimulating to the skin when used to rub the body during
the bath or in the suana.
Cultivation: Easy.
Soak seeds overnight and plant in very warm soil. Seed will not germinate
in cold soil. Start in greenhouse six weeks before planting outdoors,
in warm soil and after the danger of frost is passed. Only one plant
required for fertilization, as the plants are monoecious. Prefers
full sun. Provide a 6 foot trellis, or grow on a fence. Plant
in hills three feet apart and side-dress occasionally with organic compost
throughout the season. Flowers white. Takes 100 days to maturity.
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