EDIBLE GOURD 'Abashi Bitter Melon'

Okinawan heirloom variety with deep green skin color and a very mild bitter taste like a cucumber. Fruit is 3-4 inches in diameter and 8-10 inches long. This variety can tolerate high temperatures and does well up to 100 F. A famous medicinal food of the Okinawan longevity diet also popular in China, India, and throughout the far east, this vegetable is high in vitamin C, B6, potassium, magnesium. Used in stir fried, juiced for a beverage called karela, and tea called Cerasee is made from the leaves in Jamaica. Harvest when green or yellow. When ripe yellow, the coating arounf the seeds turns red and is midly sweet and the fruit is not as bitter. The bottom of the fruit will burst open and seeds may fall out when it's overripe. 90-120 days.