Loofah Plant
Profile
Loofah (Luffa sp.)
is a gourd that is dried and used to make a sponge. It is an annual vine that
is part of the cucumber and squash family. It is hardy from USDA Zones 7 to 13.
There are two main kinds of Loofah -- the Luffa aegyptiaca also known as the
angled luffa, ridged luffa, Chinese okra, or vegetable gourd, and the Luffa acutangular or L. cyclindrica also known as the
smooth luffa, Egyptian luffa, dishrag gourd, or gourd loofa.
Plant them from seed in late spring in a full sun location
with good draining soil that is amended with compost or aged manure. The vines
can grow up to 30 feet, so a large trellis or fence is required to support
them.
The bright yellow flowers of the Loofah vine are quite
attractive. When pollinated, they grow into a long, green gourd. Leave them on
the vine until they start to turn yellow or brown. Then peel them to reveal the
fibrous sponge inside. Shake out the seeds and save a few to plant next year.
Then wash off any sticky sap in a bucket of soapy water. Dry them in the sun.
The young fruits and flowers of the Loofah vine are all
edible as well.
Loofah vine can be attacked by the cucumber beetle and it
can get touched by powdery mildew during hot, humid weather. Otherwise, it is
relatively disease- and pest-free.
The vines will die after they are hit with a frost and can
then be composted.
Loofah: You
Can Grow That!
Also spelled Loofa or Luffa
The
video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine as part of our Plant
Profile series for Mid-Atlantic USA gardeners.
Audio and text by Kathy Jentz
Video and editing by Christine
Folivi
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