The annual bottle gourd is one of the oldest cultivated plants. Climbing rapidly on tendrils, it grows several meters throughout the year, producing velvety, heart-shaped leaves and large, white, bell-shaped flowers. Its fruits, called calabashes, vary considerably in size, weighing up to one kilogram and measuring between 10 and 100 centimeters in length. Because they become very hard and impermeable to liquids, they are often used as drinking vessels, bottles, vases, and musical instruments, and are frequently decorated with artistic paintings.
Natural Habitat: The bottle gourd likely originated in Africa. However, seed finds dating back to around 6000–12000 BC have also been reported in South America and Thailand.
