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LUFFA ACUTANGULA - RIDGED LUFFA.
Common name Ridged luffa, vegetable sponge, chinese okra, gambas, lu-fa risada, california okra, strainer vine, calabaza de aristas, sukwa, to gado hechima, concombre papengaie, petola sagi, ling jiao si gua, sze gwa sigua, vegetable sponge, belustru, ketola, patola, angled luffa, smooth luffa. Family Cucurbitaceae (Gourd family). Overview Ridged luffa is a tropical running vine with rounded leaves and yellow flowers. Female - as well male flowers appear on the plant. Pollination is done by bees. The leaves are covered with short hairs and the fruits are ribbed and cylindrical shaped. It has ten longitudinal angular ridges and a tapered neck. Ridged luffa is very similar to L. cylindrica which lacks the ridge. The length of the fruit is one to two feet. The young fruit is used as a cooked vegetable; although some gardeners grow Chinese okra for the fibrous interior. The fibrous netting is an excellent sponge but there are also industrial applications such as waterfilters. Suriname's traditional medicine A tea of the leaves is used as a diuretic, while juice of the fruit is used against internal hemorrhage. The seeds have laxative properties. Hardiness USDA zone 7 - 11. Propagation Seeds. Culture Full sun, good drained sandy loam. Luffa is cold sensitive and should be grown during the warm season. |
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