Practical
Plants

Benincasa hispida

Wax Gourd

an annual member of the Benincasa genus in the family Cucurbitaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
annual
Height
6 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Bees
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit - raw or cooked[18][2]. Used as a vegetable, and in pickles, curries and preserves[1][9][16][17][8]. The fruit can be eaten when it is young or old[3], it can be picked as early as one week after fertilization[11]. A juicy texture with a mild flavour, the flavour is somewhat stronger in younger fruits[11]. Because of its waxy coating, it will store for several months, sometimes as long as a year[3][11]. Mature fruits can vary in weight from 2 - 50 kg[11]. A nutritional analysis is available[12]. Young leaves and flower buds are steamed and eaten as a vegetable, or are added as a flavouring to soups[8][10]. Seed - cooked[18][2][6][8]. Rich in oil and protein.

Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The wax gourd has been used as a food and medicine for thousands of years in the Orient. All parts of the fruit are used medicinally. The rind of the fruit is diuretic[12][13]. It is taken internally in the treatment of urinary dysfunction, summer fevers etc[13]. The ashes of the rind are applied to painful wounds[12]. The seed is anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, laxative and tonic[12][13]. A decoction is used internally in the treatment of vaginal discharges and coughs[13][15]. In combination with Rheum palmatum it is used to treat intestinal abscesses[15]. In Ayurvedic medicine the seed is used in the treatment of coughs, fevers, excessive thirst and to expel tapeworms[15]. The oil from the seed is also used as an anthelmintic[14]. The fruit is antiperiodic, aphrodisiac, diuretic, laxative and tonic[14]. It is used in Ayurvedic medicine in the treatment of epilepsy, lung diseases, asthma, coughs etc[13]. The fruit juice is used in the treatment of insanity, epilepsy and other nervous diseases[14]. Recent research has shown that the fruits contain anti-cancer terpenes[13]. An infusion of the root is used in the treatment of gonorrhoea[12]. Demulcent, salve. Facilitates pus drainage[4][5][7].

Product or use
Anthelmintic
Product or use
Antiperiodic
Product or use
Aphrodisiac
Product or use
Cancer
Product or use
Demulcent
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Laxative
Product or use
Salve
Product or use
Tonic
Product or use
VD

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A wax that coats the fruit is used to make candles[9][16][13]. The roots have considerable resistance to soil-borne diseases and they are sometimes used as a rootstock for melons and other cucurbits[11].

Ecology and functions

Rootstock

Environment

Range
Tropical Asia.
Habitat
Not known in a truly wild situation.
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 10+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow March/April in a greenhouse. Germination should take place within 3 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on fast in a rich compost in the greenhouse. Try to maintain a minimum night temperature of at least 10°c for the seedlings first few weeks[11]. Plant out in May/June after the last expected frosts[1].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a warm sunny position in a rich well-drained soil and plenty of moisture in the growing season[1][10][13]. Established plants are reasonably drought tolerant[11]. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.8 to 6.8. This species is not very frost hardy, it is best grown in a greenhouse in Britain[19] but can succeed outdoors in good summers if started off in a greenhouse and planted out after the last expected frosts. Plants require stable temperatures in excess of 25°c if they are to do well[10]. Short daylengths and lower temperatures stimulate female flower development, higher temperatures stimulate male flower production[10]. Plants take 5 months from seed to produce a mature crop, though the fruits can be eaten when immature[11]. The wax gourd is frequently cultivated for its edible fruit in the tropics, there are many named varieties[8]. One group, sometimes classified as B. hispids chieh-gua, is known as the hairy melon or jointed gourd. This form is grown for its immature fruit in much the same way as courgettes are used[11]. Mature fruits of this form do not develop a waxy coating[11]. The fruit can be harvested about 3 months after sowing[11].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Chakravarty. H. L. The Plant Wealth of Iraq.

    ↩1↩2

  3. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Oriental Herbs and Vegetables, Vol 39 No. 2. Brooklyn Botanic Garden 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  4. ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X

    ↩

  5. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

    ↩

  6. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  7. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩

  8. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  9. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩1↩2

  10. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  11. Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-4781-4

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10↩11

  12. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  13. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  14. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  15. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩1↩2↩3

  16. Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press ISBN 0-89815-041-8

    ↩1↩2

  17. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  18. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  19. Organ. J. Gourds. Faber 1963-00-00

    ↩

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