Mexican calabash
Crescentia alata

Family: Bignoniaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 8 m tall. It has drooping branches but no small branches. The leaves are 8-15 cm long. They have 3 leaflets. The leaves are cross shaped. They line the main branch. The leaf stalks have wings. The flowers emerge directly from the main trunk. They are brown with yellow throats. The flowers are bell shaped. The fruit is round and green and gourd-like. The fruit are 10 cm long.

There are 6 Crescentia species. They are trees from tropical America.

Where it is found

It suits a tropical climate. It needs an average, well-drained soil. It can grow in full sun or light shade. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 1,000-2,500 mm. In Africa it grows below 1,000 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. It suits plant hardiness zones 10-11.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Belize, Central America (country/location of origin), Costa Rica, Egypt, El Salvador, Guam, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, North Africa, North America, Panama (country/location of origin), Philippines, SE Asia, Thailand

How it is used for food

The fruit are occasionally eaten. They are also made into a drink. The ripe seeds are ground then mixed with rice, roasted pumpkin seeds, lemon peel, sugar, water and ice and made into a non-alcoholic drink called "horchata". Caution: Alcohol is a cause of cancer. The seeds yield an edible oil.

It is a famine food.

Edible parts

Seeds, seeds - oil, fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Cuatecomate, Dteen-ped-farang, Gourd tree, Guaje, Jicara, Jicaro, Jicarillo, Morrito, Morro, Music tree, Pohon maja lonjong, Sacaguacal, Tecomate, Winged calabash, Xicara

Synonyms

Crescentia ternata Sesse & Moc.; Crescentia trifolia Blanco; Otophora paradoxa Blume; Parmentaria alata (Kunth) Miers; Pteromischus alatus (Kunth) Pichon;