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By: Franklin W. Martin and Michael P. Fennema
Published: 1996-10-19


All plants listed are daylength neutral and are propagated by seeds; chayote, pumpkin and tomatoes can also be propagated by cuttings.

---------+-------------+---------+--------+--------------+-------------------
 COMMON  | SPECIES     |ANNUAL OR| GROWTH |    EDIBLE    |     PRINCIPAL 
  NAME   |   NAME      |PERENNIAL|  HABIT |  PARTS,USES  |     NUTRIENTS
---------+-------------+---------+--------+--------------+-------------------
Angled   |Luffa        |Annual   |Climbing|Young Fruit   |Low Nutritional 
 Loofa   | acutangula  |         |  Vine  |              | Value  
Bitter   |Momordica    |Annual   |Climbing|Young Fruit,  |Vitamin C 
 gourd   | charantia   |         |  Vine  |  Leaves      |  
Bottle   |Lagenaria    |Annual   |Climbing|Young Fruit,  |Low Nutritional  
 gourd/  | siceraria/  |         |  Vine  |  Seed        | Value, Seeds High 
 Cucuzzi | Lagenaria sp|         |        |              | in Oil and Protein
Chayote  |Sechium      |Perennial|Climbing|Mature Fruit, |Tips High in Vita-
         | edulis      |         |  Vine  | Vine Tips,   | mins, Minerals 
         |             |         |        | Roots        |   
Eggplant |Solanum      |Weak     |Bush    |Young Fruit   |Low Nutritional
         | melongena   |Perennial|        |              | Value
Melon    |Cucumis melo |Annual   |Trailing|Mature Fruit  |Low Nutritional
         |             |         |  Vine  |              | Value
Okra     |Abelmoschus  |Annual   |Bush    |Young Fruit,  |Fair Source of 
         | esculentus  |         |        |  Dried Seed  | Most Nutrients
Pepper   |Capsicum     |Weak     |Bush    |Young/Mature  |Vitamins A, C  
         | annuum      |Perennial|        | Fruit, Leaves|
Pumpkin, |Cucurbita    |Weak     |Trailing|Young/Mature  |Vitamins A, C; 
 tropical| moschata    |Perennial|  Vine  | Fruit, Seeds,| Seeds High in Oil
         |             |         |        | Buds,VineTips| and Protein
Snake    |Trichosanthus|Annual   |Climbing|Young Fruit   |Low Nutritional  
 gourd   | cucumerina  |         |  Vine  |              | Value         
Sponge   |Luffa        |Annual   |Climbing|Young Fruit,  |Low Nutritional 
 gourd   | cylindrica  |         |  Vine  |Mature Sponges| Value
Tomato   |Lycopersicon |Annual/  |Bush or |Young/Mature  |Vitamins A, C  
         | esculentum  | Weak    |  Weak  | Fruit        |
         |             |Perennial|  Vine  |              |
Wax gourd|Benincasa    |Annual   |Climbing|Young Fruit,  |Low Nutritional
         | hispida     |         |  Vine  | Seed for Oil | Value, Seeds High
         |             |         |        |              | in Oil and Protein        
---------+-------------+---------+--------+--------------+-------------------
------------+--------------------+---------------------+---------------------
            |                    |      ADAPTATION     | 
            |                    +---------------------+      NEGATIVE   
 COMMON NAME|    SPECIES NAME    |       |     |       |       FACTORS
            |                    | TEMP  |FLOOD|DROUGHT|
------------+--------------------+-------+-----+-------+---------------------
Angled loofa|Luffa acutangula    |Hot    | No  |  No   |Poisonous Seeds
Bitter gourd|Mormordica charantia|Hot    | No  |  Yes  |Very bitter 
Bottle gourd|Lagenaria siceraria/|Warm to| No  |  No   |Low Nutritional Value
 /Cucuzzi   | Lagenaria spp.     |  Hot  | No  |  No   |Low Nutritional Value 
Chayote     |Sechium edulis      |Warm   | Some|  No   |Needs Cool Nights 
Eggplant    |Solanum melongena   |Warm to| Some|  Some |Low Nutritional Value
            |                    |  Hot  |     |       |  
Melon       |Cucunis melo        |Hot    | No  |  No   |Many Diseases 
Okra        |Abelmoschus         |Hot    | No  |  Some |Summer Only
            | esculentus         |       |     |       |
Pepper      |Capsicum annuum     |Warm to| No  |  Some |Virus Susceptible
            |                    |  Hot  |     |       |
Pumpkin,    |Cucurbita moschata  |Hot    | Some|  No   |Mildew
 tropical   |                    |       |     |       |
Snake gourd |Trichosanthus       |Hot    | No  |  No   |Poor Quality
            | cucumerina         |       |     |       |
Sponge gourd|Luffa cylindrica    |Hot    | No  |  No   |Low Nutritional Value
Tomato      |Lycopersicon        |Warm   | No  |  No   |Many Diseases
            | esculentum         |       |     |       |
Wax gourd   |Benincasa hispida   |Hot    | No  |  No   |Low Nutritional Value        
------------+--------------------+-------+-----+-------+---------------------