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Bottle Gourd
Plant of the day

Lagenaria siceraria

Bottle GourdVine

Calabash, also known as bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd, long melon, birdhouse gourd, New Guinea bean, New Guinea butter bean, Tasmania bean, zucca melon and opo squash, is a vine which is grown for its fruit. It belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae, is native to tropical Africa, and cultivated across the tropics. It can be either harvested young to be consumed as a vegetable, or harvested mature to be dried and used as a kitchen utensil, beverage container or a musical instrument. When it is fresh, the fruit has a light green smooth skin and white flesh.

FamilyCucurbitaceae
GenusLagenaria
NativeAfrica
LifespanAnnual

Propagation Guide

Propagate Hibiscus easily and grow new plants from cuttings.

Best time to propagate is spring to early summer when the plant is actively growing.

Choose a Propagation Method

Stem Cuttings

Best

Most common and successful method.

Air Layering

Reliable

Great for woody branches.

Seeds

Slow

Less common and may not produce identical plants.

Stem Cuttings Step-by-Step

Take cutting

1

Select a healthy semi-woody stem.

Prepare cutting

2

Remove lower leaves and trim below a node.

Apply hormone

3

Dip the cut end in rooting hormone.

Plant cutting

4

Place in a well-draining potting mix.

Provide humidity

5

Cover loosely with a plastic bag.

Roots develop

6

Roots form in 4-6 weeks.

TipObserve your plant regularly and adjust care according to your local climate and conditions.