Chinese Cucumber (Trichosanthes kirilowii)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Vine
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun
Water Preferences:	Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 8a -12.2 °C (10 °F) to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	White
Bloom Size:	2"-3"
Flower Time:	Summer Late summer or early fall Other: Night blooming
Underground structures:	Tuber
Uses:	Medicinal Herb
Toxicity:	Leaves are poisonous Roots are poisonous
Propagation: Other methods:	Cuttings: Stem Cuttings: Tip Division
Pollinators:	Moths and Butterflies Various insects
Containers:	Suitable in 1 gallon Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Miscellaneous:	Dioecious

Common names

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Comments:

Posted by Xeramtheum (Summerville, SC - Zone 8a) on Nov 3, 2014 11:22 AM concerning plant:

I waited until the fruit was mushy before harvesting it. When I cut open the fruit, it was a sticky, pulpy mess. I used a strainer and vegetable brush to extract the seed.

I placed the pulp with seeds in the strainer and, under running water, took the vegetable brush and firmly pushed the seeds and pulp down into the strainer with a side-to-side motion, causing the pulp to extrude out of the strainer.

It worked astonishingly well and I think this method would work on other fruits with soft, overripe flesh to extract seeds.

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Posted by Xeramtheum (Summerville, SC - Zone 8a) on Aug 6, 2013 7:36 AM concerning plant:

Trichosanthes kirilowii is dioeceous and night blooming.

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Horntoad	On May 6, 2015	Seeds germinated
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Trichosanthes Chinese Cucumber (Trichosanthes kirilowii)