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Cucurbitaceae
Loofah
Luffa aegyptiaca
Resourcefulness and self-renewal.
- Family
- Cucurbitaceae
- Genus
- Luffa
- Native to
- South Asia, Southeast Asia
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Type
- annual vine
- Height
- 300–900 cm (vine)
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- rich, well-drained, fertile
- Water
- medium to high
- Hardiness
- 7–12
- Lifespan
- annual
Did you know
- The natural loofah sponge used in bathrooms is the dried fibrous interior of this gourd, not a sea creature.
- A single vigorous vine can produce 20–25 gourds in one season when grown on a sturdy trellis.
- Young loofah fruits under 15 cm are edible and popular in Asian stir-fry dishes.
- World War II soldiers used loofah fibers as filters in ship engines when manufactured filters were scarce.
- The large yellow flowers open at dawn and are primarily pollinated by bees in the morning hours.
Color meanings
Yellow
practical cheerfulness