A glossy green color, large fruit, thick flesh, cylindrical in shape with a round end. Plant is vigorous and disease tolerant. About 28 cm long, 7 cm width, weight 450-500 g. Fruit reach maturity in 50-55 days.
Plants are vigorous, very prolific and early maturity, long-slender shape fruit with green rind, 6.0-6.5 x 28-30 cm in size, 500-600 grams in weight. It can be harvested in 55-60 days from sowing.
This hybrid bitter gourd is very early, prolific variety. Fruit is cylindrical, beautiful light green color skin, 5.5-6.5 x 24-26 cm in size, 350-450 grams in weight. It can be harvested in 58-60 days from sowing.
This is an early variety with the attractive curd skin. Plant is high productivity of good fruit setting, glossy dark green flesh. Fruit has small shiny fresh green color curds, 600-700 grams in weight, 7×30 cm in size, tender and mild bitter taste. It can be harvested in 65-70 days from sowing.
A glossy green color, large fruit, cylindrical in shape with a round end. Plant is vigorous and disease tolerant.
About 25 cm long, 7 cm width, weight 400 g. Fruit reach maturity in 50-55 days.
Tropical type An early, fast-growing variety, dark green color, long, round end fruit with attractive ribbed, stripes. Flesh is of mild bitterness. Highly tolerant to disease About 34 cm long, 6.5 cm in width weight 440 g. Fruit maturity reached in 55-60 days.
GOURD FACTS: Gourd seeds should be planted in a warm, sunny location as soon in the spring as danger from frost has passed, for they require a long growing season to mature fruit andare killed by the first frost of autumn. Well-drained, fertile soil and a trellis, fence, or wall to provide support for the vines aid in the development of well-shaped, unblemished fruits.
Indian Type
BG 4710 |
BG 4714 |
BG 4715 |
BG 4716 |
Chinese Type
| BG 4711 |
BG 4712 |
BG 4713 |
| CR 151 |
CR 152 |
Philippine Type
F1 - 2004 |
Strada 153 |
Variety Comparison Chart |
growers-guide |
The bitter melon (Chinese: ??; pinyin: kugua), also called bitter gourd, karela, balsampear, or balsamapple, is the edible fruit of the tropical and subtropical plant Momordica charantia, named for its bitter taste, considered the most bitter among all edible vegetables. The young shoots and leaves of the plant may be eaten as greens, and are not particularly bitter.
The original home of bitter gourd is not known except that it is a native of the tropics. It is widely grown in South Asia and Southeast Asia, as well as in China and the Caribbean. It is often used in Chinese cooking for its bitter flavour. It is also cultivated extensively all over India and a type of chips called karela chips are quite relished. It is however seldom mixed with other vegetables due to its extreme bitterness.