![]() Since they take about 120 days to grow to maturity, we started the seeds six weeks ahead indoors and transplanted them outside in the spring after danger of frost had passed. We have grown speckled swan gourds in the past. You can buy mature gourds for their seeds, dry them out, and plant in the spring! Essentially, we treat them the same as winter squash. Image: Snake gourds being used for ornamental autumn display at Newfields' gardens. What's really interesting is the flower of the snake gourd, which opens at night! White and strongly scented, the flowers are moth-pollinated! Once fully mature, snake gourds are tough enough to be turned into didgeridoos! Long and wriggly (like a snake!), this eccentric gourd is edible when young and tender though not especially flavorful. anguina) is a member of the pumpkin family ( Cucurbitaceae) but has seeds similar to its cousin the watermelon ( Citrullus lanatus). The weird and wonderful "snake gourd" ( Trichosanthes cucumerina var. Credit: Aimpol Buranet/Shutterstock Snake Gourds It's about five minutes long, but worth the watch-we've never seen anything like it! As different and unusual as a luffa gourd. cylindrical is the well-known bath sponge! Many people think Luffas are sponges from the sea, but these vegetable sponges are actually related to cucumbers. Left to mature and dry, the outer shell is scraped off and the scratchy inner fiber makes a great scrubby!Ĭheck out this " Grow your own Luffa Sponge" video. Image: Bottle gourds, Lagenaria siceraria. Even today, these types have many uses, including birdhouses, storage vessels, dippers, or ornaments. Hard-shelled gourds will last for several years and have been grown for over five thousand years for use as containers and utensils, and the immature gourds are edible. Hardshell gourds are Lagenaria siceraria, which means "drinking vessel," since that is one of the many uses. Speckled swan gourds, bottle gourds, dipper gourds, penguin or powderhorn gourds, and even one called caveman's club are all Lagenarias.Cucurbita pepo are the cute, colorful little ornamental gourds that make good decorations. The Cucurbita types of gourds are the most popular. An American native, these gourds come in many unusual shapes and textures: smooth, warty, plain, patterned, ridged, striped.There are four main types of gourds that you'll encounter to grow from seed or purchase as decor: Ornamental Gourds Gourds come in so many shapes and colors. I was at a farmer's market recently and brought some gourds home. " Squash" and " pumpkins" can be either edible or ornamental, but they are soft-shelled and won't last as long (unless cured, like winter squash)." Gourds" usually refers to the hard-shelled, non-edible cucurbit fruits suitable for decorative ornaments or utensils.The smallest can be the size of a marble and the largest over 200 pounds! What's the Difference Between Gourds and Pumpkins?īotanically speaking, there's really no difference between gourds, squash, and pumpkins. They all belong to the family Cucurbitaceae and are all frost-tender, meaning they won't make it through chilly temperatures. There are hundreds of species that come in all sorts of strange shapes and sizes. Gourds can also be used as musical instruments (shakes, maracas, drums), vases, and bowls. Today, these garden novelties can be used for many reasons from ornamental displays in autumn and on the Thanksgiving table to birdhouses to luffa sponges in the bath (yes, luffas are gourds!). They were the early water bottles of the Egyptians (2200 or 2400 B.C.), and were traditionally used as utensils, storage containers, and dippers by indigenous peoples in North America. Gourds ( Cucurbitaceae) are among the oldest cultivated plants.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |