Crescentia cujete aka Calabash

Crescentia cujete is the calabash tree. It belongs to the Bignoniaceae family. Its home range runs from Mexico to Venezuela and the Caribbean. It grows at woodland edges, by roads, and in scrub. People grow it across the tropics for shade and fruit shells. It now grows wild in India, too. Its conservation status is Least Concern.

This tree stays green all year and has a broad crown. Its branches spread out from several trunks. Garden trees reach about 10–30 feet (3–9.1 metres) tall. They can spread 20–30 feet (6.1–9.1 metres) wide. Other accounts give heights of 33 feet (10 metres). The crown may be open and uneven or dense and round. Low branches droop toward the ground. Smooth gray or brown bark forms scales and cracks with age. Each simple leaf has one blade with smooth edges. The leaves grow in turn along the stems. Their broad tips give them the shape of a paddle. Their tops are glossy dark green, with paler undersides.

Flowers grow one at a time on the trunk and older branches. In the tropics, they can bloom all year. The bell-shaped blooms are pale green, yellow, or brownish. Purple marks or purple insides stand out against the pale petals. The flowers have a strong, bad smell. Bats pollinate them. Round or oval fruits hang below the branches. They measure about 0.3–1 foot (0.1–0.3 metres) across. Each fruit holds flesh within a smooth, hard shell. Green fruits turn yellow as they ripen.

The tree suits warm, humid gardens where soil drains well. It grows well in full sun and also bears part shade. It grows in clay, loam, or sand across varied soil pH. It likes steady moisture but can bear some drought when not in fruit. Sources give different USDA hardiness zones: 10–12 or 10b–11. One account of growing it gives a narrower range of 11–12. Young trees may need pruning to form strong branches. The tree cannot bear salt in the air. Serious pests and diseases are rare. Chinese rose beetles sometimes cause harm. So do leaf-webbing caterpillars.

Its flowers and large fruits make it stand out as a specimen tree. An open site gives the low branches room to spread. People make cups, bowls, spoons, and rattles from dried shells. Food uses include pickled young fruit and cooked leaves in soups. People also use cooked seeds in drinks and sweets. These uses call for care. Sources warn that the pulp and raw seeds are poisonous. People use the fruit in traditional remedies. Those reports do not prove that these uses are safe.