Luffa acutangula aka Chinese Okra

Luffa acutangula, or angled loofah, belongs to the cucumber family. This annual vine comes from the Indian subcontinent. It has become naturalised across the wetter tropics. Growers raise it for food, fibre, and garden screens. Its long stems climb with tendrils or trail over the ground. It grows fast and needs support when grown upright.

In gardens, it reaches 5–8 feet [1.5–2.5 metres] tall. Its spread is about 0.3–1.6 feet [0.1–0.5 metres]. The rough leaves have a shape like maple leaves. They can span 0.8 feet [0.25 metres] across. Bright yellow flowers appear from summer into autumn. Male flowers form small groups; female flowers grow alone. Each flower can reach 0.16 feet [0.05 metres] across. Bees, butterflies, moths, and other insects visit the flowers. Dark green fruits start to form from midsummer. They have long, round bodies with clear ridges. Fruits can reach about 1 foot [0.3 metres] long.

This tender plant needs warmth and cannot withstand frost. The RHS gives it a UK hardiness rating of H1C. Choose a sheltered, sunny site with moist, well-drained soil. Both sandy soil and loam suit it. It accepts acid, neutral, and alkaline soils. Outdoors, plant it in early summer beside a supported fence. Under glass, use large pots or a greenhouse bed. Give it high humidity and shade from strong summer sun. The fruits need a long season to reach full maturity. Seeds need warmth of 21–24°C to start in early spring.

Young fruits serve as vegetables, picked before fibres become tough. A harvest length is about 0.3 feet [0.1 metres]. Mature fruits turn dry, fibrous, and unfit for food. Remove the skin and seeds to make a scrubbing sponge. The fibres also serve as filters and household cleaning tools. The vine suits containers, courtyard gardens, and greenhouse beds. It can also form a quick screen. Traditional medicine uses several parts, but these uses do not establish safety.

The RHS warns that eating this plant can harm people and pets. Its exception is young fruit, which must not taste bitter. Very bitter forms can be toxic and should not be eaten. Wear gloves and protective gear when handling the plant. Few pests trouble it, though powdery mildew may occur. Heavy rain during flowering and fruit growth can cause fruit rot. It needs no routine pruning.