Cucurbita ficifolia: Country Or Region Of Origin
Peru to Bolivia
Plant Profile: Cucurbita ficifolia
Taxonomy: Cucurbita ficifoliaNames
Alcayota, Chilacayote, Fig Leaf Gourd, Figleaf Gourd, Fig Leaf Squash, Malabar Gourd, Seven Year Melon, Shark Fin Melon
Phonetic Spelling:koo-KER-bih-ta fik-ih-FOL-lee-uh
Genus:Cucurbita
Species:ficifolia
Family:Cucurbitaceae
The Figleaf Gourd is a perennial climbing squash cultivated primarily for its edible fruits, which contain black seeds; however, both its leaves and stems are also consumable.
For additional details on Cucurbita, please refer to the provided resources.
Cucurbita ficifolia Feature Summary
Cucurbita ficifolia Image Gallery
Tags
#edible fruits
#edible
#non-toxic for horses
#non-toxic for dogs
#non-toxic for cats
Similar Plants
Cucurbita ficifolia Feature Summary
Attributes
Peru to Bolivia
Perennial
Scrambler
Tendrils
Fruit
A pepo (berry with a hard rind) that is mottled white and green. The inner flesh is white with black seeds. Known for its incredible storage qualities.
Berry
Green
Variegated
White
Edible
Long-lasting
> 3 inches
> 3 inches
Flowers
Early to mid-summer bright yellow flowers. Monecious, with separate male and female flowers on the same plant.
Gold/Yellow
Solitary
Showy
Edible
Summer
4-5 petals/rays
Funnel
Star
3-6 inches
Leaves
Large alternate leaves with palmate lobing and venation.
Green
Simple
Alternate
Reniform
Peltate
Lobed
> 6 inches
Velvety
> 6 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
12 inches-3 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
9a
9b
10a
10b
11a
11b
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Stem
Green
Landscape
Edible Garden
Mass Planting
Small groups
Vertical Spaces
Cucurbita ficifolia Image Gallery
Cucurbita ficifolia Attributes
Cucurbita ficifolia: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Cucurbita ficifolia: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Cucurbita ficifolia: Climbing Method
Clinging
Scrambler
Tendrils
Twining
Cucurbita ficifolia Fruit
Cucurbita ficifolia: Fruit Description
A pepo (berry with a hard rind) that is mottled white and green. The inner flesh is white with black seeds. Known for its incredible storage qualities.
Cucurbita ficifolia: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Cucurbita ficifolia: Fruit Color
Green
Variegated
White
Cucurbita ficifolia: Fruit Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Cucurbita ficifolia: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Cucurbita ficifolia: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Cucurbita ficifolia: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Cucurbita ficifolia Flowers
Cucurbita ficifolia: Flower Description
Early to mid-summer bright yellow flowers. Monecious, with separate male and female flowers on the same plant.
Cucurbita ficifolia: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Cucurbita ficifolia: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Cucurbita ficifolia: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Cucurbita ficifolia: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Cucurbita ficifolia: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Cucurbita ficifolia: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Cucurbita ficifolia: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Cucurbita ficifolia Leaves
Cucurbita ficifolia: Leaf Description
Large alternate leaves with palmate lobing and venation.
Cucurbita ficifolia: Leaf Color
Green
Cucurbita ficifolia: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Cucurbita ficifolia: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Cucurbita ficifolia: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Cucurbita ficifolia: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Cucurbita ficifolia: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Cucurbita ficifolia: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Cucurbita ficifolia: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Cucurbita ficifolia: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Cucurbita ficifolia Whole Plant Traits
Cucurbita ficifolia: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Cucurbita ficifolia: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Cucurbita ficifolia: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Cucurbita ficifolia: Appendage
Prickles
Spines
Tendrils
Thorns
Cucurbita ficifolia Cultural Conditions
Cucurbita ficifolia: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Cucurbita ficifolia: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Cucurbita ficifolia: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Cucurbita ficifolia: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Cucurbita ficifolia: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Cucurbita ficifolia: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
11a
11b
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Cucurbita ficifolia: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Cucurbita ficifolia Stem
Cucurbita ficifolia: Stem Color
Green
Cucurbita ficifolia: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Cucurbita ficifolia Landscape
Cucurbita ficifolia: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Cucurbita ficifolia: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Cucurbita ficifolia: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
