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| Sponge gourd
squash zucchini dishcloth gourd luffa loofah etc |
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Tammy brought a luffa/ loofah that she
grew to a recent meeting. We didn't have any specific information that
they were available or grown in this country during the era we portray
(1860-1865). If anyone has documentation about this, we would love to
hear from you.
webmaster@csa-scla.org
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| http://www.luffa.info/ |
Chinese Okra: This squash relative — also known as luffa — is called Chinese okra because of the okra-like shape and pronounced ribbing of its fruit. It is also known as dishcloth gourd or luffa when fully mature. It is harvested for eating while still tender. Plants are vigorous growing vines related to melons and squash, and are grown in the same way. Plants are more productive when trained on a trellis and can produce 10 to 20 fruit per plant.
Fruits are elongated, cylindrical and may be more than a foot long. The angled luffa (Luffa acutangula) is more tender and best for use as a vegetable. The smooth luffa (L. aegyptiaca) which is without ribs is much more fibrous and is best for growing as dishcloth or sponge gourds.
Plant seed after all danger of frost is past and the soil is warm in hills 3 feet apart in rows at least 4 feet apart. For maximum production, trellis the plants. Cultural requirements are the same as for other members of the cucurbit family. Fruit for consumption as a vegetable is ready to harvest in about 100 days. Harvest when 6 to 8 inches in length and still tender. Allow another 30 days for the fruit to fully mature if it is to be used as a gourd or as a dishcloth.
http://hgic.clemson.edu/
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Specialty Oriental vine crops:
Vegetable Sponge, Dish-cloth gourd, Sponge gourd (Luffa sp.). These may be used for cooking when immature (approximately 75 days), or allowed to mature for the fiberous spongy tissue (approximately 115 days): Angular types (Luffa acutangula): San-C, Ping-Ann. Cylindrical types (Luffa aegyptica): Cylinder, Seven Star, Seven Beauty. These produce higher quality sponge fiber.
http://www.green-seeds.com/zuc.html
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Luffa is a fast-growing, long-season, warm-climate vine plant that can climb up to 15 feet high. The fruit is edible only when immature and is cooked like zucchini. The matured fruit forms sponge-like fibers inside. After the fruit matured, dried, skin and seeds removed/cleaned, fibers are often used as scrubbers, cleaning pads or bath sponges. Thus, this vegetable is also called Dish Cloth Luffa. There are several types of Luffa grown in the Orient. Luffa fruits with smooth skin and ridged skin are widely grown in Asia for eating and cooking, as well as for dish cloth uses. Luffa seeds, particularly Ridged Skin varieties, have hard skin and may take a long time to germinate. They need warm/moist soil conditions for germinating.
http://www.evergreenseeds.com/evergreenseeds/edibleluffa.html
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Grow your own sponge and skin conditioner from this unusual gourd plant. The climbing vine, which needs support, produces many pods that if harvested when under 6 inches long can be used like zucchini. If left to grow they will reach between 12 and 30 inches in length. Fruits should be dried and then crushed and peeled for harvesting the fibrous sponge within. Requires a long hot growing season.
http://seedsforsurvival.com/luffa_sponge.html
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Luffa Seeds - Heirloom Luffa seed
Heirloom Sze Qwa Luffa (aka. Luffa, Luffah, Loofa, Loofah, Sze Qwa, Cee Gwa, Sponge Gourd, Dishcloth Gourd, etc)
Origin: India Item #:LUF-001
Luffa is a fast growing, warm climate member of the Cucurbit family that is native to India, and is also known under a wide variety of other names including Sponge Gourd, Dishcloth Gourd, Sze Qwa, Cee Gwa and others. Luffa is grown commercially in China, Taiwan, Central America, Korea, Vietnam and Japan, and also still grows wild in India today. Luffa is used not only for natural sponge production, but also food production. Luffa is the only known plant that may be used to produce natural sponges which have been found to have a positive impact on cleansing human skin and may also be used to produce an organic soap. When Luffa is harvested when young at a length of 4 to 6 inches long and yield a sweet, tasty vegetable that may be prepared similiar to okra or zucchini. The mature seeds, young flowers and young foilage of the Luffa are also edible. The Luffa plant itself is similiar to a cucumber and produces sprawling vines up to 15 to 20 feet in length. Luffa can also be sliced and utilized raw like a cucumber. Matures in about 110 days. Quantity: 10+ luffa seeds Price: $2.50 or £1.25 per seed packet
http://www.seedfest.co.uk/seeds/luffa/luffa.html
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http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/H235luffa.html |
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