Last edited by shiny on 3 Nov 2026. View history

Calabash

Also known as bottle gourd (EN) lauki (EN)

Bottle gourd (also known as calabash) is an annual vegetable, climbing vine and a member of the cucumber family that is widely cultivated for its interestingly shaped fruits. The large white flowers open at night and fruit set is enhanced by hand pollination. Seeds, leaves, flowers, and young stems are all edible. The genus name derives from the Greek word, lagenos, for vase or flask. Source: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/lagenaria-siceraria/

2: plantings
5: harvests
2: seed packets

Growstuff is a free, community-run site for people who grow food. Keep track of what you plant and harvest, find seeds to swap, and see what is growing near you. Join to record your own calabashes.

Calabash facts

Lifespan

Annual living and reproducing in a single year or less

26 weeks median lifespan

First harvest expected

0 weeks after planting

Last harvest expected

15 weeks after planting

Grown for

fruit harvested 5 times

How members grow calabashes

Sunniness

Planted from

Harvested for

Photos

Calabash crops

Photo by Shilpa Gadgil via iNaturalist (Copyright Shilpa Gadgil)

Calabash plantings

Calabash harvests

Video

Where calabashes grow

Only plantings by members who have set their locations are shown.

What people are saying about calabashes

Nobody has posted about calabashes yet.

Who's planted calabashes

shiny 0 - Shady corner · Wellington, NZ

Calabash harvests

shiny harvested 0.4 kg.
Wellington, NZ

8 months ago
shiny harvested 5, weighing 4 kg.
Wellington, NZ

9 months ago
shiny harvested 2, weighing 1 kg.
Wellington, NZ

9 months ago

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Find calabash seeds

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Ecological requirements

Data from the FAO EcoCrop database for Lagenaria siceraria (Molina)Standley

Family / Taxonomy	Magnoliopsida Dilleniidae Violales Cucurbitaceae
Optimal temperature	19 - 27 °C
Absolute temperature	12 - 38 °C
Optimal rainfall	1200 - 1800 mm/year
Absolute rainfall	700 - 2800 mm/year
Optimal soil pH	5.5 - 7.0
Absolute soil pH	4.5 - 7.5
Crop cycle	60 - 120 days
Max altitude	2700 m
Life form	herb, vine
Life span	annual
Habit	climber/scrambler/scadent
Optimal soil depth	medium (50-150 cm)
Optimal soil texture	medium, light
Optimal soil fertility	high
Optimal soil drainage	well (dry spells)
Optimal soil salinity	low (<4 dS/m)
Photoperiod	short day (<12 hours), neutral day (12-14 hours)
Optimal light	clear skies to very bright

Licensed under CC-BY-4.0 .

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) ECOCROP, the crop ecological requirements database. Version 1. https://data.apps.fao.org/catalog/dataset/ecocrop. Accessed through the CGIAR Climate Action Data Hub, https://cgiar-climate-data-hub.github.io/catalog/ecocrop_1/.

Learn more about calabashes

Resources outside Growstuff.

Calabash