Luffa – for the bath and the table

We are all familiar with the luffa gourd being used as a sponge for bathing and cleaning dishes.  Did you know that the luffa is also used as a vegetable in some cultures?  Available in both smooth and angled fruit, the luffa is a surprisingly versatile plant.

Originating in tropical and subtropical Asia, the luffa is a member of the cucumber family.  Growing as a vine up to thirty-feet long, a good sized trellis is needed to accommodate these plants which require a long growing season of at least ninety days.  You can either direct seed or start transplants to be put out in the garden at a later date.  Plant in a full-sun, well-drained location after the danger of frost with plants three feet apart and rows six feet apart.  You can expect to get about six to seven fruit per vine.  As the luffa grows, you will notice that they produce both male and female yellow flowers.  The female flowers actually have a small undeveloped fruit at the base of the flower.  If pollenated, these fruits will begin to swell.  The young, tender fruit can be harvested and used raw or cooked with a taste similar to zucchini or cucumbers. 

In order to be used as a sponge, the luffa needs to be fully mature and is best vine-ripened and allowed to turn yellow to brown in color.  Let the luffa dry for about two weeks at which time the skin will be hard and brown.  The large end of the luffa will open, and from this opening, shake the seeds out.  Soak the whole gourd in water overnight which will soften the rind and allow you to peel off the outer skin. Then finish the processing by drying the spongy gourd in the sun.

I have grown luffa locally and they are very squash-like in taste and texture.  Making sponges is also very easy to the point when you might have too many luffas!  Some of the luffa cultivars commercially available would include ‘Smooth Boy’, ‘Smooth Beauty’ and ‘South Winner’ for the smooth types, and angled types such as ‘Lucky Boy’, Hybrid Green Glory’ ‘Summer Long’, and ‘Hybrid Asian Pride’.  The angular luffa has ridges and is dark green in color, tends to have a longer shelve life, and has even been called “Chinese okra” as per their okra-like appearance. 

Luffa is a very easy-to-crow crop that is fun to grow by both youth and adults and produces food, sponges and even craft materials.  For more information on all types of edible ornamentals, please call our Master Gardener volunteers on the Plant Lifeline on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer.  Don't forget to visit our other County Plant Clinics in the area.  Please check this link for a complete list of site locations, dates and times - http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture/Plant%20Clinics%20Schedule.pdf.  

Resources:

Xie, Y., Liu, G., Li, Y. & Migliaccio, K. (2016) Luffa- an Asian Vegetable Emerging in Florida.  The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.

MacKenzie, J.  (2008) Growing luffa gourds. University of Minnesota Extension.

Stephens, J. M. (2015) Gourd, Luffa—Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem., Luffa aegyptica Mill., and Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.