Grow your own bath sponge! Luffa gourds are the familiar bath sponge. Growing your own will keep you entertained all growing season and are great fun for a long time after they are harvested. Peel ...

Luffa (Luffa aegyptiaca), or loofah, is an annual vine known for its ability to produce natural sponges. As a member of the cucumber family, it features fast-growing vines that can reach up to 30 feet ...

I was introduced to the Luffa gourd while living in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, where it grows on every telephone pole in the province. Guanacaste has a dry tropical forest ecosystem with at least six ...

When the squash-like Luffa fruit is still young, it is an edible vegetable. However, since the plant grows so fast it is ...

MCCANDLESS, Pa. — To most Americans, a luffa is a sponge. But to Wei Fei Chen, it’s a wonder gourd that’s fun to grow and good to eat. “You can saute or steam it with tofu, shrimp, chicken. Sometimes ...

Shaped like an oversized apple, these hard-shelled gourds (Lagenaria siceraria) grow six to eight inches tall and four to six inches across. In India, young fruit is added to curries. The skin is ...

There’s a remarkable vine that can provide you with a shady trellis, showy flowers, tasty fruit, and perfect bath sponges … and can be grown as a cash crop to boot! The plant–which is a native of the ...

QUESTION: I'm trying to grow luffa gourds for the sponges, but the flowers keep falling off without making fruit. -- W. H. ANSWER: Luffa vines (Luffa aegyptiaca) are generally reliable about producing ...