Cucurbita foetidissima aka Buffalo Gourd

Cucurbita foetidissima, also known as buffalo gourd, calabazilla, chilicote, coyote gourd, fetid gourd, Missouri gourd, stinking gourd, wild gourd, or wild pumpkin, is a xerophytic plant that is native to the central and southwestern United States and northern Mexico. This member of the cucumber family has evolved to thrive in semiarid regions and is well-adapted to desert environments due to its massive underground tuber. The fruit of the buffalo gourd can be consumed by both humans and animals. When young, the fruit can be cooked like a squash, but as it matures, it becomes too bitter for human consumption and is used for decorative purposes or in making musical instruments. The seeds of the buffalo gourd are the source of buffalo gourd oil, and the plant has been proposed as a potential source of biofuel ethanol due to its ability to grow fast with little water and high amounts of carbohydrates in the tap root. The plant is rare as a houseplant and requires regular watering and well-draining soil with a gentle, organic fertilizer during the peak growing season. The name foetidissima means ill-smelling in Latin, and the plant is closely related to Cucurbita scabridifolia, which is believed to have originated as a naturally occurring hybrid of C. foetidissima and Cucurbita pedatifolia.