Trichosanthes cucumerina anguina
Snake Gourd
an annual member of the Trichosanthes genus in the family Cucurbitaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Cucurbitaceae
- Genus
- Trichosanthes
- Life cycle
- annual
- Growth rate
- vigorous
- Height
- 5 m
- Fertility
- Insects
- Flower type
- monoecious
- Pollinators
- Insects
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Young fruit - cooked[1][8][9]. It can be used in curries or eaten as a vegetable like green beans[4][10][2]. Mature fruits can be up to 2 metres long and 10cm thick[4][5]. The bright red pulp around the mature seeds is extracted and used in cooking in much the same way that tomatoes are used[2]. Leaves and young shoots - cooked[2].
- Plant part
- Fruit
- Plant part
- Leaves
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 fruit is considered to be anthelmintic, emetic and purgative[7]. The seed is said to be cooling[7].
- Product or use
- Anthelmintic
- Product or use
- Emetic
- Product or use
- Purgative
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Climber
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - India.
- Habitat
- Not known
- 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
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow March in pots in a warm greenhouse in a rich soil. Sow 2 - 3 seeds per pot and thin to the strongest plant. Grow them on fast and plant out after the last expected frosts. Give them some protection, such as a frame or cloche, until the plants are growing away well.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Requires a rich well-drained soil and plenty of moisture in the growing season[1]. Cultivated in India for its edible fruit it is not hardy in Britain, requiring greenhouse cultivation[5], though it may be possible to grow it as an annual in a very warm sheltered bed outdoors[1]. The plant is very variable in the shape of the fruit, there are some named varieties[2]. Plants grow best with short daylengths and stable temperatures above 25°c[5]. Plants climb by means of tendrils[3] and also have a slightly twining stem[6]. A weight is sometimes attached to the growing fruit to ensure that it grows straight[2].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219220-0
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
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202
Organ. J. Gourds. Faber 1963-00-00