Luffa operculata (common name, sponge cucumber, wild loofa, buchinha in Brazil or mướp xơ in Vietnamese) is a species of Luffa native to South and Central America. It is cultivated for its fruit, which when fully ripe is strongly fibrous and is used as a fibrous scrubbing sponge for household cleaning. The fruit is a capsule with spikes. The fruit is dark-brown when mature. It is also grown in gardens and yards as an ornamental plant. In colder places they can be grown indoors as a houseplant.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it poisonous?
We have no record of Sponge cucumber being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
Classification
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Phylum
- Tracheophyta
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Order
- Cucurbitales
- Family
- Cucurbitaceae
- Genus
- Luffa
- Species
- Luffa operculata
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