Bottle Gourd
Lagenaria siceraria
- Native to:
- Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda
Hyunjung Kim (pixabay.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Cucurbitaceae
- Genus:
- Lagenaria
- Species:
- Lagenaria siceraria
- USDA Symbol:
- LASI
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Vine
- Height:
- 900 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- white
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, moths
- Fragrant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- native to tropical and subtropical regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Requires warm soil temperatures (70-85°F). Soaking seeds for 24 hours before planting improves germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI