Homegrown Sponges - Growing and Using Luffa

Luffa is a heat-loving vine that thrives in the low desert. It has beautiful yellow flowers that the pollinators love. When most plants have dies due to the heat, the luffa continues to put on a show. The squash can be eaten when they are small, or left on the vine to grow large and turn into a sponge.

My plant last year produced seventy five luffa! I love using them to wash dishes. When it starts to lose its structure I compost it and pull out a new one.