SNAKE GOURD

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Description

Trichosanthes cucumerina 60-90 days. Snake Gourd is a vigorous annual climber that produces long, slender stems reaching up to 16 feet. It can sprawl along the ground or climb supports, making it ideal for trellises or naturalized plantings. Grown widely across Asia and beyond, Snake Gourd is valued both as a food crop and as an ornamental. The plant produces striking, white, fringed flowers that release a sweet fragrance at night, followed by decorative fruits that can grow up to 2-3 feet long and 3-4 inches thick. To encourage straighter growth, gardeners sometimes attach a small weight to the developing fruit. A mature plant can yield as many as 10 gourds, each weighing up to 2 lbs.  Culinarily, the young fruit are the highlight—tender, flavorful, and nutritious. Harvested while immature, they are excellent in curries, stir-fries, or prepared simply like green beans. As they mature, they develop a bitter flavor and become inedible; however, the bright red pulp surrounding the seeds are used in cooking much like tomatoes. The tender leaves and young shoots are also edible when cooked, adding further versatility to the plant.  Snake Gourd plants start shipping mid-May in 4-inch pots. Order early for best availability. Available only within the contiguous US.

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