Description A herbaceous vine, up to 4 m long. The leaves are smaller than those of other pumpkins, with long petioles and lobes.
The flowers are very attractive: orange-yellow, large—up to 15 cm in diameter—with five orange petals, they are very decorative and fragrant.
The fruits are oval, 20-60 cm long, and weigh 5-8 kg. Initially, they are green, but as they ripen, they become covered with a white waxy coating. This coating protects the fruit from spoilage during long-term storage. The older the fruit, the thicker the waxy layer. A fully ripe pumpkin looks as if it has been dusted with flour. Benincasa hispida can be stored indoors for 2-3 years!
Uses Benincasa pumpkins are very convenient to use – they perfectly fit the format of the currently fashionable portioned pumpkins. Benincasa pumpkin halves are ideal for stuffing. Both young (unripe) and ripened Benincasa pumpkins are eaten. The former can be eaten raw, for example, grated in salads. Ripe wax gourds are used to make porridges, casseroles, soups, various vegetable side dishes, sweet candied fruits, and juices. Benincasa pumpkin's young leaves and buds are also edible – they are added to fresh salads.
Growing Conditions Prefers sunny locations and fertile, neutral, breathable soil.
Growing from Seed Sowing: Before sowing, soak the seeds in room temperature water for 2-3 hours, then wrap them in a damp cloth until sprouts appear. Do not allow the cloth to dry out! Place in a warm place to germinate. When sprouts appear, plant the seeds in prepared pots. Temperature: during germination - 20-25°C, after emergence -18-20°C. After the threat of spring frost has passed, plant in well-amended, warmed soil or a warm compost pile in a 1.0 x 1.4 m pattern. Place in a well-lit area.
Care Pinch (remove the growing points above the 4th-6th leaf, and after 3-5 ovaries have formed, remove all growing points), water, and fertilize throughout the season with complex mineral fertilizers.
Harvesting Ripens in 90-120 days. As the fruits fill and ripen, approximately in September.