10 Seeds Wax Gourd Winter Melon Benincasa hispida Vining Garden Vegetable

Wax gourd, also known as winter melon, is a warm-season vining vegetable grown for its large, mild-flavored fruit. This variety produces sprawling vines and hefty, oblong to round gourds with a characteristic powdery white coating at maturity, making it a rewarding and unusual addition to the home garden.

Prized in many Asian cuisines, the mild flesh absorbs flavors beautifully and works well in soups, stews, and stir-fries, while the rind is often used for pickling. The vigorous vining habit suits trellising or ground culture, and fruit can be harvested young for tender use or left to mature for long storage.

Species: Benincasa hispida
Type: Warm-season annual vegetable
Plant_Habit: Vining
Sun: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained, fertile, loamy
Days_to_Harvest: 90-120
Zones: 4-11 (grown as annual)
Germination: 7-14 days at 70-85F
Sowing: Start indoors 3-4 weeks before last frost or direct sow after soil warms
Spacing: 36-60 inches between plants
Notes: Provide trellis or ample ground space for sprawling vines.