Grow a Luffa

Did everyone else know that a luffa is a plant seed pod-- a cucurbit- from the gourd, pumpkin and cucumber family?

Maybe I was the only one that missed that.

The other day I was strolling with my friend A through one of her friend's Gardens a bit south of Gaza city. We encountered fresh luffas- still growing in preparation for life as a bath sponge. This is what a luffa looks like when it is still attached to the vine.

When the fruit matures, it becomes a tough mass of cellulose fiber- great for a scrubbing sponge- whether in the shower- or for the dishes. Here, the skin is being peeled away, revealing a beautiful and complex interior.

Shake it! And seeds will come out. Spread them in the garden again so that they may produce bath delights for decades to come.

Et voila! Click here for a website that gives great detail, just in case you want to grow your own.