How to identify Malabar gourd (Cucurbita ficifolia)
Malabar gourd, also known as Pie melon, Seven year melon, Shark fin melon
Malabar gourd exhibits a robust, vine-like growth habit, capable of extending several feet with broad, lobed leaves in a palmate shape. The fruit it bears is sizable, often taking on a rounded to oblong form and when mature, showcases a smooth, variegated green to off-white rind. Distinctively, the seeds within are dark, contrasting sharply with the sweet, fibrous, and pale flesh. Its flowers, typical of the family, display a bell-shape with bright, golden-yellow hues. Each leaf can span up to 12 inches (30 cm), providing a lush backdrop for the growth of the fruits, which can range up to 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter.
Lifespan: Perennial, Annual
Plant Type: Herb, Vine
Leaf Type: Deciduous
Vine-like growth habit with broad, palmate leaves up to 12 inches (30 cm) long.
Fruit is round to oblong, with a variegated green to off-white rind, and dark seeds.
Bright yellow bell-shaped flowers in early to mid-summer, with star-shaped male flowers.
Fruit is a pepo with a mottled white and green exterior, lasting when stored.
Leaves are large, alternate, dark green, palmately lobed with rough, slightly hairy texture.
The leaves of malabar gourd are large, with a length typically ranging from 7 to 12 inches (18 to 30 cm). They are alternate in arrangement and exhibit a palmate lobing pattern, with three to five deep lobes. The leaf surface is rough and slightly hairy, contributing to a textured feel. The venation is prominently palmate, with the main veins radiating from the base of the leaf. The leaves are generally dark green, sometimes showing faint white mottling or patches.
Malabar gourd flowers bloom from early to mid-summer and are bright yellow. The flowers are monecious, meaning the plant has both male and female flowers. Male flowers are star-shaped with five petals, measuring about 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) in diameter. Female flowers are smaller, around 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm), with a swollen ovary at the base. Both types of flowers have a delicate, mild fragrance and display conspicuous yellow petals that attract pollinators.
The fruit of malabar gourd is a distinctive pepo with a hard rind, featuring a unique mottled exterior combining patches of white and green. This round to oblong fruit typically measures up to 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter. On slicing, one reveals the stark white flesh, which contrasts with the numerous embedded black seeds. The flesh texture is smooth and is encased within a tough, protective skin. A key characteristic of this fruit is its remarkable longevity when stored, maintaining its condition over an extended period.
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Scientific Classification of Malabar gourd
