Luffa

This article is about the plant. For the sponge made from it, see Exfoliation (cosmetology) § Loofah.

Luffa
Egyptian luffa with nearly mature fruit
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Cucurbitales
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Subfamily: Cucurbitoideae
Tribe: Sicyoeae
Genus: Luffa
Mill.[1]
Species[2]
Synonyms[2]

Luffa is a genus of tropical and subtropical vines in the pumpkin, squash and gourd family (Cucurbitaceae).

In everyday non-technical usage, the luffa, also spelled loofah[3] or less frequently loofa,[4] usually refers to the fruits of the species Luffa aegyptiaca and Luffa acutangula. It is cultivated and eaten as a vegetable, but must be harvested at a young stage of development to be edible. The vegetable is popular in India, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Vietnam.[5] When the fruit fully ripens, it becomes too fibrous for eating. The fully developed fruit is the source of the loofah scrubbing sponge.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference OriginOfNomenclature was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b "Luffa Mill". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  3. ^ "loofah | Collins Dictionary".
  4. ^ "loofa | Collins Dictionary".
  5. ^ Christman, Steve (March 13, 2010). "Luffa aegyptiaca". Floridata.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2013.