Calabash Gourd Lagenaria siceraria
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- lag-en-AR-ee-uh sy-ker-AR-ee-uh
- Description
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Bottle gourd (aka calabash) is an annual, vining member of the squash family that is widely cultivated for its interestingly shaped fruits; the genus name derives from the Greek word, lagenos, for "vase." When dry, the fruits can be used as containers, pipes, rattles, and many other uses. The large white flowers open at night and fruit set is enhanced by hand pollination. Seeds, leaves, flowers, and young stems are all edible. Direct seed outdoors after the danger of frost has passed; fruit should not be harvested until the skin has hardened.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Potential insect problems include aphids, cucumber beetles, squash bugs, stink bugs, cutworms, pickleworm and squash vine borers. Potential disease problems include anthracnose, fusarium wilt, bacterial wilt, downy mildew, powdery mildew and blights.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Lagenaria
- Species:
- siceraria
- Family:
- Cucurbitaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Western Tropical Africa to Ethiopia and Tanzania
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
- Edibility:
- Seeds, leaves, flowers, and young stems are all edible
- Dimensions:
- Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 16 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Vine
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Showy
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is fleshy and dry but not split open.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are generally white or yellow and there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower. The petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- The alternate leaves are simple, lobed but not separated into leaflets, there is one leaf per node along the stem. The leaf edge is serrated and lobed.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Problems:
- Frequent Disease Problems
- Frequent Insect Problems
