richosanthes cucumerina
Calabaza de la serpiente (Spanish), Padwal (Hindi), Pudalankaai (Tamil)
Snake Gourd is a creepy looking vine having an appearance like a snake, hence the name Snake Gourd. It is a subtropical plant that grows in a warm climate. It can grow up to 6 ft long and it induces a cooling effect on the body due to very high water content in it.
Snake gourd belongs to the cucumber family and is native to India. It is widely grown in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, China, Australia, and Africa.
It requires insect/manual efforts to carry out the pollinating process for setting fruits. Snake Gourd has a very high nutritional value and it comprises of protein, fat, carbohydrate and solution fiber.