Bottle Gourd: Bushel Gourd
(Lagenaria siceraria)

Bottle Gourds are typically grown for non-food use. The gourd is allowed to reach its full size on the plant and turned into a valuable container for grains or liquids. Mature fruits contain an extremely hard and waterproof rind when dried. The growing gourd may be constricted with bands to form any desirable shape. Designs scratched into the surface when the rind is still soft, will scar and remain in the mature fruit. Dried and waxed, the bottle gourd is waterproof and valuable for musical instruments, water jugs, kitchen equipment, planters, masks or floats for fishing nets. The immature fruits (before the rind hardens) can be picked and prepared like summer squash.

This vigorous vine produces gourds the size of a basketball. Fruits are edible only when small but are generally not eaten. Grown mainly for the dried, hard gourd because of its thick shell. Gourds can be used as a storage container or for art work.