Luffa aegyptiaca
Description
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 by 0.5 m at a fast rate. HabitatsNot 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. Known hazardsNone known Cultivation detailsA 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. |
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Luffa aegyptiaca
ISC: 31693
Ecocrop: 2475 Eppo: LUFAE Wikidata: Q17465532 Unranked: Angiosperms Unranked: Eudicots Order: Cucurbitales Family: Cucurbitaceae Genus: Luffa Species: Luffa aegyptiaca
Uses: Flowers, Fruit, Oil, Seed, Oil
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Resources
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Names
Luffa cylindrica Luffa cylindrica Luffa cylindrica Category:Luffa cylindrica Luffa aegyptiaca var. aegyptiaca Luffa cylindrica Luffa cylindrica Luffa cylindrica Category:Luffa cylindrica Luffa aegyptiaca var. aegyptiaca Luffa cylindrica |
Luffa aegyptiaca
ISC: 31693
Ecocrop: 2475 Eppo: LUFAE Wikidata: Q17465532 Unranked: Angiosperms Unranked: Eudicots Order: Cucurbitales Family: Cucurbitaceae Genus: Luffa Species: Luffa aegyptiaca
Uses: Flowers, Fruit, Oil, Seed, Oil
|
Major pests
Luffa aegyptiaca
ISC: 31693
Ecocrop: 2475 Eppo: LUFAE Wikidata: Q17465532 Unranked: Angiosperms Unranked: Eudicots Order: Cucurbitales Family: Cucurbitaceae Genus: Luffa Species: Luffa aegyptiaca
Uses: Flowers, Fruit, Oil, Seed, Oil
|
Minor pests
Agrotis segetum
Anastrepha grandis
Apomecyna binubila
Bemisia tabaci
Circulifer tenellus
Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus
Dacus ciliatus
Delia platura
Diaphania indica
Frankliniella occidentalis
Helicoverpa armigera
Helicoverpa zea
Leptoglossus australis
Liriomyza bryoniae
Myiopardalis pardalina
Spodoptera frugiperda
Spodoptera litura
Thrips palmi
Tobacco ringspot virus
Tomato spotted wilt tospovirus
Zeugodacus cucumis
Zeugodacus cucurbitae
Luffa aegyptiaca
ISC: 31693
Ecocrop: 2475 Eppo: LUFAE Wikidata: Q17465532 Unranked: Angiosperms Unranked: Eudicots Order: Cucurbitales Family: Cucurbitaceae Genus: Luffa Species: Luffa aegyptiaca
Uses: Flowers, Fruit, Oil, Seed, Oil
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