Quantity 100gr, approx. 1000 Seeds
Germination approx. 18 days at 18 ºC
Lufa (loofah), Vegetable-sponge (Luffa aegyptiaca)
The loofah is cultivated mainly as a sponge, but the green fruit are also edible and are reminiscent of zucchini. The plant is an annual and with climbing support can reach 15m in height. The male and female yellow flowers appear throughout the growing season and are often visited by bumblebees. The production of sponge is simple if the fruit is ripe the outer skin can be easily separated from the sponge and cleaned well and then dried in the sun. The sponges found in the market are often chemically bleached. Often our friends and neighbors were surprised commenting "we believed it was a sea sponge .."
Soil: rich in humus. Needs plenty of water which should be rich in nutrients.
Light: Full sun
Multiplication: by seed. The black seeds germinate in approx. 2 to 3 weeks. For best performance of the seeds soak for a day in warm water. In cold storage the germinable seeds keep for some years.
In winter: Annual plant.