Luffa pumpkin

The luffa pumpkin belongs to the genus of rather interesting plants, along with all the cucumbers, melons and courgettes known to us belonging to the pumpkin family (Cucurbitaceae). Absolutely all luffs are plants of moist tropics, that is, it takes a lot of moisture and heat to grow them.

According to various sources, this genus has 5-8 species, the homeland of which are countries such as Africa, India and Oceania. However, only two species of luff pumpkin have gained distribution as a cultivated plant: cylindrical luff and sharp-toothed luff. This is due to the fact that the fruits of the remaining species of luff pumpkin are so miniature that cultivating them as technical plants is completely impractical.

Undoubtedly, every representative of the older generation of our compatriots knows the usual bath wash well. Today they are mainly produced from polymer materials, but relatively recently for many the word "washcloth" had a slightly different meaning - the fruits of the pumpkin are cylindrical luff.

The fact is that the inside of the fruit of this plant contains a "skeleton" of rather rigid fibers. So, if you remove the seeds and rinse this "skeleton" from the remains of the pulp, you can get a washcloth. Dry the washed fruits of the luff pumpkin and the natural washcloth is completely ready for use.

In our conditions, from one plant you can get from 7 to 12 fruits, which at a young age weigh about 2-3 kilograms. As they grow, the mature fruit of the luff pumpkin gradually begins to dry out, and their weight decreases.

In Asian cuisine, the use of immature fruits of this pumpkin in food is widespread. The luffa of the "Chinese okra" variety is especially highly valued. In terms of taste, this vegetable crop resembles a completely ripened cucumber or courgette. It is customary to eat rather juicy fruits raw or fried. It is noteworthy that for culinary purposes, exclusively the fruits of the pumpkin luff are removed no more than 15 centimeters in length, since with age they lose tenderness and acquire a characteristic rigid fiber of the "skeleton. "

In addition to fruits, shoots, young leaves, buds and flowers of luff pumpkin can also be used for food purposes. After drying a little, it is customary to season them with oil and serve as a side dish. Like seeds or nuts, they fry and eat ripe luff seeds, which are also used to teach luff oil. It is used in the production of a number of cosmetic products (for example, high-quality lipstick).

The aboveground and roots of luff pumpkin in the Philippines and India are widely used in alternative medicine. This plant helps in the treatment of various diseases, especially preparations from this plant are successfully used, designed to stop internal bleeding.