Bottle Gourd, Lagenaria siceraria

Also known as calabash, white-flowered gourd, and long melon, the bottle gourd is often cultivated for its fruit. When harvested young, the fruit is used as a vegetable. When mature, it is dried, and it can be scraped and used as a bottle, container, or pipe. Bottle gourd is in the cucumber family. It is hard to find in the wild, but easy to cultivate. Identification: This annual vine grows to be 15 feet (4.5m) long or more. The fruit has a smooth lightgreen skin and white flesh. It grows in a variety of shapes and sizes. It has long densely packed hairs on the stems. These hairs are tipped with glands that produce a sticky sap. The leaves grow on long stalks and are oval to heart-shaped. Leaves can be unlobed or have 3 to 5 irregular shallow lobes. The flowers are white, growing alone or in pairs. They open at night during the summer and close again in the morning. Edible Use: Although it is safe to eat in moderate amounts, be aware that young gourds can be bitter. If you think the plant has grown too old or tastes too bitter, throw it away because it might have a buildup of toxins or it may have spoiled. Otherwise, the fruit can be steamed, boiled, fried, used in soups and stir-fries. Young shoots and leaves are cooked as a pot herb. Medicinal Use: This plant is mainly used for blood sugar control in diabetics, but I know of healers who use it as a heart tonic and as a sedative. It is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial, pain relieving, and a tonic for the internal organs. Diabetes: Bottle gourd helps to lower blood sugar readings in diabetics when taken regularly. Eat a piece of bottle gourd at each meal for blood sugar control. One or two large bites of the gourd are enough to provide the desired benefit.

Headaches: A poultice made by crushing the leaves and applying it to the head over the painful area is useful for relieving the pain of headaches. Boils, Skin Infections, and Irritations: Bottle gourd has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. For these external uses, make poultice from the boiled seeds of the gourd for skin irritations and infections. Cover the poultice with a clean cloth and leave in place as long as possible to reduce swelling and prevent the spread of the infection.

Memory Loss, Depression and Senility:

Studies have been done demonstrating bottle gourd for mild depression and memory improvement, including patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and age-related senility.

Bottle Gourd, GNU Free Documentation License