Last edited on 30 Nov 2025. View history

Luffa

Luffa cylindrica

Also known as loofah (EN)

How to sow luffa: Direct seed. If planting indoors, harden off before transplanting seedlings outside.

Sun requirement for luffa: Plant in Full Sun

Luffah, or Loofah, is a genus of tropical and subtropical vines in the Cucurbit family, which also includes cucumbers and squash. There are three main species. Fruit must be harvested when young and under 12cm long to be edible. Two are grown specifically for the use of their mature, fibrous fruit as a scrubbing sponge: L. aegyptiaca and L. acutangula. Luffah plants need at least 4 frost-free months to mature, and additional frost-free time to dry on the vine until the skin is dark brown. Germination improves if seeds are scarified and soaked for 24 hours before planting. Plants benefit from trellising.

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Luffa facts

Lifespan

Annual living and reproducing in a single year or less

Height × spread

900cm × 0cm

Row Spacing

25cm

How members grow luffa

Sunniness

Planted from

Varieties of luffa

smooth skinned luffa

Luffa aegyptiaca

Video

Where luffa grow

Only plantings by members who have set their locations are shown.

What people are saying about luffa

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Who's planted luffa

pazinjanka Indoor · Almere, Netherlands
Unalmas Garden · Somerville, MA

Luffa harvests

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Ecological requirements

Data from the FAO EcoCrop database for Luffa cylindrica (L)M.Roemd.

Family / Taxonomy	Magnoliopsida Dilleniidae Violales Cucurbitaceae
Optimal temperature	23 - 27 °C
Absolute temperature	10 - 38 °C
Optimal rainfall	1200 - 2000 mm/year
Absolute rainfall	300 - 3000 mm/year
Optimal soil pH	5.5 - 6.5
Absolute soil pH	4.3 - 8.3
Crop cycle	70 - 120 days
Max altitude	1000 m
Life form	herb, vine
Life span	annual
Habit	climber/scrambler/scadent
Optimal soil depth	medium (50-150 cm)
Optimal soil texture	medium, organic
Optimal soil fertility	moderate
Optimal soil drainage	well (dry spells)
Optimal soil salinity	low (<4 dS/m)
Photoperiod	short day (<12 hours), neutral day (12-14 hours)
Optimal light	clear skies

Licensed under CC-BY-4.0 .

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) ECOCROP, the crop ecological requirements database. Version 1. https://data.apps.fao.org/catalog/dataset/ecocrop. Accessed through the CGIAR Climate Action Data Hub, https://cgiar-climate-data-hub.github.io/catalog/ecocrop_1/.

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