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Specific ? about Trichosanthes kirowii
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Posted by msbatt 7 (My Page) on Wed, Feb 21, 07 at 20:21
| I'd like to hear from anyone who's actually GROWN this plant. I'm more interested in it as an ornamental than as a veggie. Some sites I've Googled imply this plant is a tender perennial if overwintered in a frost-free area. Is this true? How large are the flowers? How long a growing season does it require to set viable seed? What are its' specific sun/water/soil requirements?
Please DON'T respond unless you have hands-on experience with this plant, preferably in Zone 7. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Specific ? about Trichosanthes kirowii
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| The flowers are not that large. They take at least 120 days to get going so do require a long growing season but I can get seed here in SW MO. Like any vegetable that bears "fruit" like peppers, tomatoes, melons, eggplant, etc, this plant requires full sun (8-10 hours). In general, all plants require one inch of water per week. This is half a gallon of water per square foot. Soil requirements as those with any vegetable. The more nutrient rich your soil is with compost, and if your soil retains water with good loam and has proper drainage so roots get the oxygen they need equally as much as food and water, they will thrive. |
RE: Specific ? about Trichosanthes kirowii
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| So---just how large IS "not large"? One inch? Two inches? How large are they in comparison with the size of the leaves? When Googling this plant, I came across a mail-order nursery, Arrowhead Alpines, that describes this plant as "rivaling passiflora". They're also selling it for $12.95 each. |
RE: Specific ? about Trichosanthes kirowii
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| Correct spelling is "Trichosanthes kirilowii". If you protect them with mulch in zone 7 for the winter they should come back. They might not with no mulch or snow for insulation during a week of temps below 20 degrees which I consider a hard frost that penetrates the ground. 
The flowers can be yellowish or white. I don't find them to be better than passiflora but then it depends on the variety of passiflora and it can be subjective in the eye of the beholder. If you like the delicate lacey look, you might like it. I'd say the flowers are about 2 inches across. You need several plants for pollination if you're going to try to save seed. Plant them in full sun in compost rich growing medium. I took the photo of the passiflora below a few years ago... 
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