Sponge Luffa belongs to the Luffa genus.

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The luffa is a fast growing, vigorous annual vine that requires a trellis to grow on. Plant it in rich soil in full sun. Tender, immature fruits can be peeled and cooked, resembling zucchinis in taste. The stem tops, young leaves and flower buds can be steamed as vegetables and the seeds roasted with salt and eaten. For use as a sponge allow the luffa to ripen on the vine until the stem yellows and the skin begins to turn brown. After cutting they should be dried for two weeks until the skin hardens, then open the large end and shake out the seeds. Soak the sponges overnight before peeling off the outer skin and standing in th sun to dry. Luffa sponges are used in the bathroom as body scrubbers and in the kitchen to scrub vegetables and wash pots.

Source: Green Harvest

Smooth loofah is a rampant, fast growing annual vine that produces pretty yellow flowers and strange looking fruits that are edible when immature and used as back scrubbers or sponges when fully mature. The vine can get more than 30 ft (9 m) long and scrambles over anything in its path. The large leaves are lobed and have silvery patches on the topsides. The flowers are showy and conspicuous, about 2-3 in (5-7.6 cm) across with five petals. The fruits are green, up to 24 in (61 cm) long and 3 in (7.6 cm) in diameter; they are cylindrical and smooth, and shaped like a club, slighter wider on one end. Small fruits look like okra or little cucumbers. On older fruits, the outer skin eventually dries and turns brown and papery.

Loofahs grow like weeds. They need little more than a sunny spot and something to climb on. Once the vines get 6-10 ft (1.8-3 m) long, they start producing male flowers. Usually within a few more days they start producing female flowers which are recognizable by the enlarged ovary at the base of the petals. The ovary will become the fruit if the flower gets pollinated.

Source: Floridata

• Lifecycle The lifecycle that this plant exhibits. Annual Category The basic category that this plant belongs to. Vegetable
• Hardiness How frost hardy this plant is. ? Country of Origin Where this plant originated from.
• Mature Height How tall the plant will be when it grows up. 300.0 cm / 117.0" Mature Spread How wide the plant will be when it grows up. 30.0 cm / 11.7"
• Bloom Time When this plant usually blooms. ? Harvest Time When this plant is usually harvested. ?

How to keep this plant happy

• USDA Zone Range The zones that this plant is recommended to grow best in. 11 - 14 pH Range The level of acidity that this plant thrives in. -
• Water Requirements The amount of water that this plant likes to drink. High Nitrogen Requirements The amount of nitrogen that should be present in the soil. Medium
• Soil The type of soil that this plant likes to live in.
  Loam Potting Mix
  Sun The type of light that this plant likes to sunbake in.
  Full Sun Partial Sun
• Min. Air Temperature The lowest air temp that this plant will be happy in. ? Max. Air Temperature The highest air temp that this plant will be happy in. ?

Sowing and Germinating Instructions

• Can Sow Direct? Can seeds be sown directly in situ? ? Sowing Depth Seeds should be sown at this depth. 2.0 cm / 0.78"
• Sowing Distance Apart This plant should be sown at least this distance apart 10.0 cm / 3.9" Sowing Row Distance Apart This plant should be sown in rows at least this distance apart ?
• Min. Germination Temperature The lowest temp that this plant will germinate from seed. 20°C / 68°F Max. Germination Temperature The highest temp that this plant will germinate from seed. 34°C / 93°F

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Planting Out / Transplanting Instructions

• Planting Distance Apart Seedlings should be planted this far apart. ? Planting Row Distance Apart Rows between plantings should be at least this far apart. ?

How long does it approximately take to grow?

• Days to Germination From seed to seedling 5 days Average 5 days | Min days | Max days (0)
• Days to Transplant From seedling to transplant / planting out + days
• Days to Maturity From transplant to harvest / maturity of plant + 90 days Total Growing Days From seed to maturity = days

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When should I start sowing and growing?

• When to sow The number of days to sow before or after your last frost date. ? When to plant out The number of days to plant out before or after your last frost date. ?

Etymology

Folklore

Other Names

Loofah, Smooth luffa, Sponge gourd, Vegetable sponge, Dishcloth gourd