Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
Ivy Gourd Seeds
Ivy Gourd Seeds. Ivy gourd, or Coccinia grandis, is a member of the cucumber family. It's a vine originating in Asia and Africa, also known as scarlet gourd or Tindora. It has adapted to tropical and subtropical areas. It's considered a noxious, invasive weed, and has become a problem in the U.S. in Hawaii, Texas, Florida, as well as parts of Asia....
Ivy gourd, or Coccinia grandis, is a member of the cucumber family. It's a vine originating in Asia and Africa, also known as scarlet gourd or Tindora. It has adapted to tropical and subtropical areas. It's considered a noxious, invasive weed, and has become a problem in the U.S. in Hawaii, Texas, Florida, as well as parts of Asia. Ivy gourd takes hold and spreads quickly, capable of growing 4 inches per day. It propagates by root or seed.
Characteristics of Ivy Gourd
Ivy gourd is a perennial, tropical climbing vine that grows aggressively and easily overtakes surrounding ground, nearby fences, utility poles or other nearby structures. Ivy gourd is dioecious, which means it requires two plants of opposite sexes to form the gourd's seeds. The fruit or gourds each contain numerous seeds.
Seed's Role in Propagation
The ivy gourd's star-shaped, white flowers turn into a small green fruit or gourd that later turns scarlet. Each fruit is filled with many seeds, which play a large part in the vine's spread. The seeds do not go dormant. However, growing ivy gourd from seed is a lengthy process because it takes so long to mature and it is a root vegetable.
In some areas, the ivy gourd reproduces through cuttings or pieces, or birds disperse its seeds. In Guam, where only the male sex of ivy gourd plant exists, it spreads through its root system or cuttings.
Uses
The ivy gourd plant's seed-filled fruit is used as an edible vegetable, in chutney or stir-fried. It was introduced to Hawaii as a food crop for backyards. There, it's known as "Thai spinach." It's best eaten when the gourd is still green.
The roots and stems are succulent and help the ivy gourd plant store water through dry seasons. The ivy gourd's shoot tips are also commonly used in Asian cooking.
