Ridge Gourd – Smooth Loofha
F1 Hybrid Smooth Loofah is high yielding and vigorous.
Fruits are 4.0-4.5 cm diameter, 45 – 50 cm. in length and weigh 250 – 300 grams. Fruit is green, disease tolerant, Maturity at 65 – 70 days.
GOURD FACTS: Gourds – any of the hard-shelled ornamental fruits of certain members of the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae (q.v.), in the order Violales.
In the past, the term gourd was applied only to the fruits of the species Cucurbita pepo, variety ovifera, the yellow-flowered gourd, and to the species Lagenaria siceraria, the bottle, or white-flowered, gourd; both are trailing annual herbs. Many varieties of these species are cultivated as ornamentals and for the utensils, bottles, and pipes that can be made from the fruits of L. siceraria. Other species, such as the Chinese watermelon, or wax gourd (Benincasa hispida), teasel gourd (Cucumis dipsaceus), snake gourd (Trichosanthes anguina), and dishcloth gourd and sponge gourd (species of the genus Luffa), are now included botanically in the term gourd.
In the past, the term gourd was applied only to the fruits of the species Cucurbita pepo, variety ovifera, the yellow-flowered gourd, and to the species Lagenaria siceraria, the bottle, or white-flowered, gourd; both are trailing annual herbs. Many varieties of these species are cultivated as ornamentals and for the utensils, bottles, and pipes that can be made from the fruits of L. siceraria. Other species, such as the Chinese watermelon, or wax gourd (Benincasa hispida), teasel gourd (Cucumis dipsaceus), snake gourd (Trichosanthes anguina), and dishcloth gourd and sponge gourd (species of the genus Luffa), are now included botanically in the term gourd.