Luffa is an annual climbing vine of Cucurbitaceae. Its stems and branches are grooved, densely pilose, rough to the touch, triangular or nearly round leaves, dark green in color, solitary male flowers and mature fruits in summer and autumn. Luffa is a short-day plant, which is heat-resistant and moisture-loving. It grows rapidly when the temperature is about 25 degrees and the soil moisture content is 70%.

What kind of plant is loofah?

Luffa is an annual climbing vine of Cucurbitaceae, with hairy stems and branches, rough feel, thick tendrils, triangular or nearly round leaves and dark green color. Luffa is monoecious, with male flowers open and female flowers solitary. The fruit ripens every summer and autumn with smooth surface and dark stripes.

Growth habit of towel gourd

Luffa is a short-day plant and likes sunny environment. Providing short sunshine at seedling stage and controlling temperature difference are beneficial to the development of female flowers. Moreover, the optimum growth temperature of Luffa is 20-30 degrees, which is heat-resistant and moisture-loving, and it grows rapidly when the soil moisture content is about 70%.

Planting method of towel gourd

In the process of planting loofah, seeds with full grains should be selected, soaked in clear water for 3 hours, wetted and germinated for 24 hours, and then planted in the ground. After sowing, cover the soil and water it to promote the growth of seedlings. Moreover, after Luffa enters the seedling stage, manure should be applied 2-3 times to promote the growth of seedlings, and compound fertilizer or peanut bran should be applied at the initial flowering stage to improve the fruit quality.