Sponge Gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Vine
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 11 +4.4 °C (40 °F) to +7.2 °C (50 °F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 11
Plant Height:	6-30 feet
Plant Spread:	3-4 feet
Leaves:	Unusual foliage color Evergreen
Fruit:	Showy Edible to birds
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Yellow
Bloom Size:	2"-3" 5"-6"
Flower Time:	Summer
Underground structures:	Taproot
Uses:	Vegetable Suitable as Annual
Edible Parts:	Fruit
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Butterflies
Resistances:	Humidity tolerant
Propagation: Seeds:	Provide light Needs specific temperature: can sow in situ in zones 7 and warmer, otherwise start indoors Days to germinate: 14 Sow in situ Start indoors Other info: Sensitive to transplant shock
Containers:	Not suitable for containers

Common names

Sponge Gourd
Climbing Okra
Dishrag Gourd
Vietnamese Luffa
Egyptian Cucumber
Bucha

Botanical names

Accepted: Luffa aegyptiaca
Synonym: Luffa cylindrica

Photo Gallery

Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2012-09-22
This tee-pee was made with three 12-foot long cedar posts.

Uploaded by dave

Location: my garden in Dawsonville, GA (zone 7b north Geogia mountains)
Date: 2014-07-27

Uploaded by LoriMT

Uploaded by Huertayjardineria

Location: Fairfax, VA | September, 2023
Date: 2023-09-16

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: my garden in Dawsonville, GA (zone 7b north Geogia mountains)
Date: 2014-08-02

Uploaded by LoriMT

Location: Parchur, Andhra Pradesh, India
Date: 2022-02-21

Uploaded by chhari55

Uploaded by LoriMT

Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2012-09-22
Attractive to bees #Pollination

Uploaded by dave

Location: Botanical Garden of the University of Münster

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by jon

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Fairfax, VA | September, 2023
Date: 2023-09-25

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2013-08-15

Uploaded by dave

Location: West Central Tx
Date: 2023-06-14

Uploaded by Ivan_N_Tx

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: October 2010
The blooms are loved by many insects (honey bee and ants on bloom

Uploaded by wildflowers

Location: Botanical Garden of the University of Münster
Date: 2017-09-19

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2013-08-15
Bumblebee and honey bee compete #Pollination

Uploaded by dave

Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2014-07-20

Uploaded by dave

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2015-11-08
dried fruit one with skin, one without showing luffa, seeds are i

Uploaded by wildflowers

Location: Thelma’s garden
Date: 2018-07-07

Uploaded by piksihk

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: September 2010
Leaves and buds

Uploaded by wildflowers

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by dave

Uploaded by dave

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2015-11-08
seeds from inside dried luffa

Uploaded by wildflowers

Uploaded by jon

Uploaded by admin

Location: at a corner of Ziyad Bin Eyad Street in Al Doha Al Jadeeda neighborhood. Doha, Qatar,
Credit Alexey Sergeev

Uploaded by admin

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: September 2010
Vines growing up the homeade tripod - blooms and if you look clos

Uploaded by wildflowers

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2012-09-26

Uploaded by dave

Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2012-09-22

Uploaded by dave

Uploaded by Natalie

Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2019-09-15
Luffa Plant 001

Uploaded by dawiz1753

Uploaded by vic

Location: All pictures taken in/on my gardens/greenhouse/property
Date: 2017-04-08

Uploaded by janinilulu

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2010-05-01

Uploaded by wildflowers

Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2010, November

Uploaded by wildflowers

Photo Courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Used with permissi

Uploaded by Joy

By Dalgial (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Date: 2006-09-10
By KENPEI (KENPEI's photo) via Wikimedia Commons

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by dave

Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2012-09-22
What an attractive and cheerful yellow bloom!

Uploaded by dave

Photo Courtesy of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Used with permissio

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Southwest Florida
Date: January 2016

Uploaded by Dutchlady1

Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2014-08-13
Eating size

Uploaded by dave

Uploaded by vic

Date: 2011-09-28
Sixty-five Feet of Vine -

Uploaded by chelle

Location: Norfolk, VA (USDA zone 8a)
Date: 2012-06-23
Stem and tendrils on pine bark

Uploaded by bitbit

Location: Norfolk, VA (USDA zone 8a)
Date: 2012-06-23
Immature plant climbing pine tree

Uploaded by bitbit

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by dave (Southlake, Texas - Zone 8a) on Sep 26, 2012 12:42 PM concerning plant:

I grow this just as much as an ornamental annual as I do for its other uses. The large and plentiful yellow blooms are stunning and attractive to my bees. The fruit is edible when young and once ripened can be used for all the purposes that luffas are known for. Everyone should grow this wonderful plant.

4 replies
Posted by treehugger (Hanover Twp, PA - Zone 6a) on Jul 19, 2014 9:27 PM concerning plant:

When the fruit is about 6" long, it is good eating. Just peel off the bitter skin and enjoy as you would any cucumber.

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
AndreA33	On April 27, 2016	Seeds germinated
AndreA33	On April 20, 2016	Seeds sown
piksihk	On July 24, 2018	Miscellaneous Event Seeds collected from Thelma's gourd
antsinmypants	On April 11, 2024	Miscellaneous Event Placed in moist paper towel. (3)
antsinmypants	On April 27, 2021	Plant emerged
antsinmypants	On April 22, 2021	Seeds sown Indoors under lights

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Luffa Sponge Gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca)

Luffa
Sponge Gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca)