Exotic Garden Veggies~ Chinese Fuzzy Melon~hairy gourd

[Funky Feathers]

Anyone ever heard of/eaten this? Or tried to grow them? I ate it when I was 10 years old, and I still remember the sweet taste! It is a dark green oblong melon covered in fuzz, grows on a vine. I read that it is both a veggie and a fruit! If you pick it young while still fuzzy it is a veggie. If you wait until it gets bigger and the fuzz falls off it is a fruit. Weird, eh? I have only had it as a veggie, it is used in soups & stir-fry. It has a delicate, sweet flavor and is somewhat like zucchini in texture. I am trying to grow them now in my garden, got the seeds on eBay. I sure hope it is as good as it was in 1976! Anyone else have any experience with Fuzzy Melon?

 

[sfw2]

Only when it's been sitting in the back of my fridge too long. I'm guessing that's not the same kind of fuzzy melon you're talking about, though.

Can't wait to see picks of your harvest!!

 

[Funky Feathers]

HaHaHa, no, not that kind!

 

[Goose and Fig]

Oh I was expecting one of your silly pics!

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi! We tried it here a few years ago and it grew and produced well --- like a gourd. Didn't have a 'flavor' to speak of, kind of just blah. Can't remember where we got seeds from, you may have better tasting results with your seed-source.

Lisa

 

[Funky Feathers]

It is a Chinese veggie, but the seeds came from Malaysia. Ooooh, I can't wait to taste them. Will post pics as they grow.

 

[dancingbear]

Do you happen to have the Latin name? I've been keeping an eye out for a variety of Chinese melon, a small one, like that, called Momordica grosvenori. Hope they do well for you!

I'm growing a variety of hot peppers this year called Czech Black. The leaves are almost all black, the peppers start out black, and ripen to a deep, ruby red.

 

[Funky Feathers]

Here they are now. I have 5 viable plants so far.

 

[sfw2]

Looking good!

 

[Funky Feathers]

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