Lo han kuo
Siraitia grosvenorii

Family: Cucurbitaceae

What it is like

A robust climber. It keeps growing from year to year. It has fleshy oval rootstocks. These are 7-23 cm long by 6-12 cm wide. The branches emerge from this short stem each year. They are 3-5 m long. The young growth has yellow-brown hairs. The tendrils have 2 branches. The leaves are triangle shaped and 12-25 cm long by 5-17 cm wide at the base. The edges are wavy and there are small teeth. The leaf stalks are 5-7 cm long. The flowers are yellow. They are 3-4 cm across. The fruit are round or pear shaped. They are 5-8 cm long by 4-7 cm wide. They have hairs. There can be 6-11 faint ridges. The rind is thin and brittle. It is 1 mm thick. The fruit are very sweet. The fruit are green but become brown on drying. The seeds are oblong and with deep grooves. There are some named varieties.

A sweetener. Possibly 300 times sugar and without calorie problems. The sweetness is due to mogrosides a group of triterpene glycosides.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in the mountain in Guangxi in China. It suits shady places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The fruit are used to make soup. They are also used to make tea. It is very sweet. The fruit are used as a substitute for sugar. Fruit can be dried.

It is a cultivated food plant. Available in Chinese shops in Australia. It is sold in local markets in China.

Edible parts

Fruit, flowers - tea

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. Seeds only germinate slowly and can take several months.

Flowers are best artificially pollinated.

Its other names

Local names

Buddha's fruit, Monk fruit

Synonyms

Momordica grosvenorii Swingle; Thladiantha grosvenorii (Swingle) C. Jeffrey;