trefle.io · Taken May 21, 2017 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)
Cucurbitaceae
Annual gourd
Trichosanthes cucumerina
Also known as Bottle gourd, Calabash gourd, White-flowered gourd, Anguina cucumerina
Tropical Plants · Edibles & Herbs · Native Plants · Snake-Gourd · Tropical · Climbing-Vine · Gourd · Edible · Medicinal · Trellis · Ornamental · Warm-Season · Vegetable
Annual gourd is a fast-growing tropical vine best grown on a sturdy trellis in warm, sunny conditions with regular watering and rich, well-draining soil. It produces distinctive long, twisted fruits and ornate white flowers that attract pollinators, especially moths at dusk. Harvest young fruits for cooking, as mature fruits become bitter and are used for medicinal or ornamental purposes.
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 6 hours
- Watering
- Water deeply and consistently to keep soil moist; mulch around the base to retain moisture during dry spells · Every 5-7 days
- Maintenance
- Moderate
- Soil
- loam
- Temperature
- 60°F to 95°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
- Propagation
- Seed
Hardiness
USDA 9a-12b
Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 12 in – 3 ft
- Spread
- 2 ft
- Spacing
- 36 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Root depth
- Medium
- Flowers
- No
- Foliage
- Coarse
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- Andaman Is., Assam, Bangladesh, Benin, Cambodia, Cameroon, Caroline Is., China South-Central, China Southeast, Comoros, East Himalaya, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Ivory Coast, Jawa, Laccadive Is., Leeward Is., Lesser Sunda Is.
- Attracts
- Bees, Butterflies, Moths
Sources: trefle
More Trichosanthes
Related plants from the same genus
Buy this plant
No nurseries currently list it
No nursery lists Annual gourd right now.