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What other plant gives you hardly any hassle,
grows quickly even in poor soil, and rewards you with first a beautiful
yellow flower, then from the flower grows a loofah gourd that you can
either eat (when luffa
cylindrica
is still small and green you
can chop it, fry it; tastes like fried okra-for those with some
food allergies, please consult your doctor before consuming), or wait
and let
it turn brown on the vine, peel it, and then you get a great loofah
sponge too?
That would be the Luffa! We now have three
different luffas to choose from (UNTIL SUPPLIES LAST). All
three, the Luffa
Cylindrica (commonly known as the washrag
gourd), the Luffa
Acutangula (known as the angled luffa gourd),
and the Luffa C ucumis Dipsaceus (also
known as the hedgehog gourd)
are members of the Cucurbitaceae ( Gourd ) family.
The Loofah is spelled several different ways, i.e., Lofah, Luffa or
Lufa. These are the only plants known that can be
raised and used as a sponge. The sponges are very versatile in that
they can be used for bathing, washing dishes or scrubbing. The Loofah
is widely used for bathing to invigorate the skin as well as gift
giving and crafts.
The washrag gourd is a very fast growing annual that produces
vines up to twelve feet or more. I have seen them grow over 20 ft. high
in trees and produce dozens of gourds per plant.
The angled
gourd plant is pretty much the same as the other, except the gourds are
thinner, and tapered. Very elegant.
The hedgehog
gourd is a different luffa indeed. Its small body, tapered
ends, and spikes make it a formidable looking specimen, but inside you
will find a very fine fibered inner sponge. A very interesting
conversation piece, and will quickly become a favorite of yours.
When fully matured, you can peel off the dried and
crisp outer shell to expose the fibrous sponge. To clean your Loofah
you wash it in clean water and then soak it in a solution of bleach and
water and allow to dry in the sun. Loofah sponges will last a long time
if washed and allowed to dry after each use. These seeds are 100%
organic, grown by us, using no pesticides or chemicals of any kind,
meaning synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and
chemical defoliants never touches our plants.
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