Luffa is a vegetable cultivated in courtyards or edge vegetable plots. It does not have strict requirements on fertilizer and water conditions and has few diseases. Its harvest period is in the off-season of vegetables from August to September.

Several main representative varieties:

(1) Bangchui Luffa: cultivated in various places. The plant is creeping and has strong growth potential. The leaves are palmately lobed, dark green on the front and grey-green on the back. The melon is stick-shaped, with a round base and tapered apex. It is about 40 cm long and 3-4 cm thick. It has green skin and 10 light green linear protrusions on the surface. The melon flesh is thick, white-green, tender, and of medium quality. A single melon weighs about 250 grams. This variety produces more melons and has a higher yield.

(2) Thread luffa: This variety has been introduced from the south to the north for many years. The plant has strong growth potential and vine nature. Leaves are palmately lobed. The melon is slender and stick-shaped, with the middle and lower parts gradually becoming thicker. The length of the melon is 75 to 95 cm; the average transverse diameter is about 3 cm. A single melon weighs about 250 grams. The skin of the melon is green, with wrinkles and vertical stripes. The melon flesh is green and white, tender, with less fiber and good quality. Thread luffa matures late, is heat-tolerant, and has strong resistance to diseases and insect pests. Melon strips grow quickly.

(3) Angular loofah: The plant grows vigorously. The stems are vine-like, with the first female flower node located at the 6th to 7th node, and the lateral vines produce melons early. The leaves are dark green, palm-shaped and pentagonal, with smooth and hairless leaves. The melon is long rod-shaped, with a thin base and a thicker apex. The skin is green, the cortex is hard, and there are 8 to 10 longitudinal angular edges. The melon flesh is white, tender and juicy, and of good quality. The angular loofah has strong resistance to heat and moisture, but poor cold resistance, so it is suitable for cultivation in summer and autumn.