Fig Leaf Gourd

£2.50

A winter squash that grows well in British conditions and is eaten in a surprisingly large number of ethnic cuisines.

Description

Cucurbita ficifolia

Also known as Malabar gourd, the fruit of this winter squash is found surprisingly often in Britain’s ethnic communities. The Chinese know them as shark fin melon, while the Bangladeshis call them Chinese kadu and eat the young fruit in curries. The Spanish make a preserve – called dulce de caballo de angel (angel hair) from the flesh of mature fruit.

The cold tolerant plants are vigorous growers, producing vines at least 9 to 10 meters long.  The fruit are renown for their long storage life – we’ve kept one of ours for more than two years.

And, yes, the leaves do look like enlarged versions of fig tree leaves.

Approximate number of seed per pack: 10