| Cassabanana | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Cucurbitales |
| Family: | Cucurbitaceae |
| Genus: | Sicana |
| Species: | S. odorifera
|
| Binomial name | |
| Sicana odorifera | |
| Synonyms | |
Sicana odorifera is a large, herbaceous perennial vine native to tropical South America, grown as an ornamental plant and for its sweet edible fruit. English names include cassabanana or casbanan, sikana, puttigel and musk cucumber.[1]
The fast-growing, fleshy vine can reach 15 m (49 ft) or more in height, climbing with four-part adhesive tendrils. The large, hairy, palmately lobed leaves grow to 30 cm (12 in) in width.[1]
The fruit is large, up to 60 cm (24 in) long, with skin of variable color. The fruit has a delicious, melon-like taste when it is ripe, which needs high temperatures to ripen. The sweet, aromatic, yellow-to-orange flesh of the mature fruit is eaten raw or made into preserves. The immature fruit can be cooked as a vegetable.[1]
- ^ a b c "Cassabanana". Purdue University. Retrieved November 22, 2014.