Loofah
Luffa aegyptiaca

Family: Cucurbitaceae

What it is like

Luffa aegyptiaca or commonly known as Loofah is an annual vine popular for its fruits. It is native to South and Southeast Asia. The flowers are yellow. The fruits are about 30 cm long resembling a cucumber. The fruits are edible when young but become highly fibrous and inedible as they mature. However, such characteristics of mature fruits make it ideal to use as a scrubbing sponge. Young shoots, leaves, flower bugs, and seed are edible as well. The seed also yields edible oil. Further, loofah exhibits medicinal properties as well. It controls bleeding, improves circulation, and promotes healing. The fruit, in particular, is used in the treatment of various conditions such as rheumatism, chest pains, back pains, orchitis, hemorrhoids, internal bleeding, and insufficient lactation.

Luffa aegyptiaca is an evergreen Annual Climber growing to 15 m (49ft) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 15

Where it is found

Not known in a truly wild situation, the plant was probably originally native to India but has been cultivated for so long that its origins are uncertain.

Pantropical, it probably originated in Asia, or perhaps Africa.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

Fruit - raw or cooked. Young fruits can be eaten in salads like cucumber. They are also used in soups, curries etc. The fruit is best picked young, when about 10cm long, and used like courgettes. Older fruits become fibrous and are bitter and inedible. Young shoots, leaves and flower buds - cooked. Steamed and served with rice. Used in stir-fries. Seed - roasted, salted and eaten as a delicacy. A cooking oil is obtained from the seed.

Oil: Oil

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicine

Rating: 2

The loofah is an astringent, pain-killing herb that controls bleeding, promotes healing, improves circulation and milk flow. It acts mainly on the lungs, liver and stomach. The fruits are used internally in the treatment of rheumatism, chest pains, backache, orchitis, haemorrhoids, internal bleeding and insufficient lactation. Externally, it is applied to shingles and boils. The dried fruits are used as abrasive sponges in skin care to remove dead skin and stimulate the peripheral circulation.

Antihaemorrhoidal: Treats haemorrhoids (piles). This would probably be best added to another heading.

Antirheumatic: Treats rheumatism.

Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.

Miscellany: Various medicinal actions that need more clarification.

Skin: Plants used in miscellaneous treatments for the skin.

Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.

Other

Rating: 5

Other Uses The mature fruit is dried and the fibrous remains used as a skin brush for washing. The sponges are prepared by steeping the mature fruit in running water until the skin and seed contents have been washed away. The dried fruit is also used to make items such as scrubbing pads to clean plates, pots etc; filters; table mats; insoles; sponges; sandals; shock-absorbing materials; and gloves.

Miscellany: A rag-bag of items that are difficult to categorise.

Oil: Vegetable oils have many uses, as lubricants, lighting, soap and paint making, waterproofing etc. This does not include the edible oils unless they are also mentioned as having other uses.

Scourer: Used for cleaning pots, pans, plates etc.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

A plant of the lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,000 metres. It can also be grown in subtropical and temperate areas so long as there is a growing season of 4 months or more. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 23 - 27°c, but can tolerate 10 - 38°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,200 - 2,000mm, but tolerates 300 - 3,000mm. Yields can be reduced in areas of heavy rain. Prefers a position in full sun. Plants succeed in poor soils, but fruit best in soils of moderate fertility. Plants are most productive when grown in well-drained soils with a high content of organic matter. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.3 - 8.3. Plants can produce their first crop of immature fruits within 2 months from seed. Mature fruits take 3 - 4 months to ripen. Yields of up to 30 - 40 tonnes per hectare, or 20 - 25 fruits per plant, have been recorded. Hand pollination of female flowers in the morning can increase yields. There are some named varieties.

Propagating it: Seed - can be sown in situ or in containers. When sowing in containers, place 2 - 3 seeds in each container, thinning to the best plant once they have germinated. Keep the plants growing quickly and plant out once they are 15cm or more tall.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Annual Climber

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Loofah

Synonyms

Cucumis fricatorius Sessé & Moc. Luffa acutangula subangulata (Miq.) Cogn. Luffa cylindrica (L.) T.D