EDIBLE GOURD 'Buffalo' --Cucurbita foetidissima--

Texas native perennial! This is a climbing or sprawling vine, perfectly suited to our climate. The gourds when very young can be eaten like squash and are enjoyed by a variety of our local wildlife. Fruit is high in protein, up to 23%, as are the seeds, which can be roasted and eaten as snacks, or ground into a thickener or flour additive. Root contains sweet compounds and can be used like tapioca. Zuni people used powdered seeds and flowers asa a poultice, and the fruit and root for their saponin content as a laundry soap. Highly drought and heat tolerant, enjoys partial shade, and produces in late summer and fall.