Life Span
Annual and Biennials
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
India, Philippines, Southeast Asia
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States
Types
Lagenaria siceraria
Nyssa sylvatica
Number of Varieties
25
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Moist Soils, Tropical Climate
Lowland, Sandy areas, Wet Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-75-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
9-7
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm1,828.80 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm762.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Orange, Dark Green
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Dark Green
Dark Blue, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Crimson, Dark Red, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Oblovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season, water on alternate days
Average Water Needs, Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering, Remove branches that rub together, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune in early spring, Prune in late winter, Prune when plant is dormant, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
High potassium diluted feed of 5-10-5, Nitrogen, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring
Pests and Diseases
Army-worms, Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Blight, Cucumber beetles, Cutworms, Fusarium leaf spot, Leaf rust, Red spider mite, Striped cucumber beetles
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Drought, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flies, Flying insects
Birds
Allergy
Hypoglycaemic Coma, Irregular Heart Rhythm
Mild Allergen, Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Decorating walls, Ornamental use
Used in parkland, Water gardening
Beauty Benefits
Anti-ageing, Making cosmetics
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Insect Repellent
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anti-fungal, Blood disorders, Culinary Usage, Diabetes, Gastrointestinal disorders, Laxative, Nutritive, Weight loss
Emetic, Opthalmic, Vermifuge
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Repellent, Used in making musical instruments
Food for insects, Used as a dye, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Vine
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
Lagenaria siceraria
NYSSA sylvatica
Common Name
calabash, bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd, opo squash
Black Tupelo, Blackgum, Sour Gum
In Hindi
लौकी
Black Tupelo Tree
In German
Flaschenkürbis
Schwarz Tupelo Baum
In French
Lagenaria siceraria
Noir Arbre Tupelo
In Spanish
Lagenaria siceraria
Árbol negro Tupelo
In Greek
Τσότρα
Μαύρη Tupelo Δέντρο
In Portuguese
Cabaça
Árvore Tupelo Preto
In Polish
Tykwa pospolita
Czarny Tupelo Drzewo
In Latin
utrem cucurbita
Niger Tupelo ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Cornales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Nyssaceae
Genus
Coccinia
Nyssa
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Bombini
Subfamily
Papilionoideae
Nyssoideae
Number of Species
2745
1
27800
👆🏻