Luffa is an annual climbing vine of Cucurbitaceae. Stems and branches rough, ribbed and puberulent. Tendrils slightly stout, pubescent, usually 2-4 forked. It is widely cultivated in the south and north of China. It is also widely cultivated in temperate and tropical regions of the world. There is wild in southern Yunnan, but the fruit is short. Fruit is a summer vegetable. When it is mature, the reticular fiber inside is called towel gourd, which can replace sponge to wash stoves and furniture.
Luffa is a short-day crop, which likes strong light and is resistant to weak light. Short sunshine and large temperature difference at seedling stage are beneficial to female flower bud differentiation, early fruiting and high yield. Short sunshine and high temperature in the whole growth period are beneficial to the growth and development of stems and leaves, maintaining healthy nutritional growth, and also beneficial to the development of flowering and fruit setting, young melons and the improvement of yield.
plant culture
Luffa is a common melon vegetable in summer in most parts of China. Planting was quite common in the Northern Song Dynasty. Luffa recorded in ancient books is mainly common Luffa, and historical records include Bugua, Luo Tian Flour, Tuogua, Mangua and Luo Tian Luffa. Guangdong and Guangxi are often called watermelons. The "loofah" in some county records of Guangdong and Guangxi compiled in the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China often refers to the rib loofah.
In the Ming Dynasty, Luffa was introduced and cultivated in Jiuquan, western Gansu, and there were few melons. This is probably the reason why Luffa was rarely cultivated in northwest provinces in history. The length of common loofah cultivated in ancient times varies greatly, ranging from a few inches short to 3-4 feet long for the elderly. As for the specific variety name, there is no record in the historical records. The sowing date of loofah has been recorded in Suolu compiled in the early years of Southern Song Dynasty.
The above contents refer to Baidu Encyclopedia-Luffa.