When we look at the group of gourds, we think decorative or bitter gourds. This is a small fruited vine, the cucumberish flavoured fruit is great in salads or snacking off the vine taking care to get it before the seeds form in them. They are jagged shark tooth like that you would think we're relics of the jurassic era.
I grew them last year, but between the snails and rain I lost all my plants. The seed pack only has 5 seeds so not many to play with. But as summer goes on I often get a bean or 2 and some bitter melon that makes it way through the fence as his veg garden is on the other side of the fence of my veg garden. The bitter gourd looked different, the flowers were the wrong colour, and I thought maybe it was a weed, but curiosity won and I let it grow. Turns out it was my ciagua growing out the base of my raised bed and filled the fence on his side and grew through. I ate some, and let some go to seed, so have a second generation this year and hopefully enjoy a few more of them😊
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