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Gourds are hard-shelled fruitsthat grow on herbaceous, tendril-bearing vines.
While some gourds can be eaten, most are not pleasing to the palate.
They are still grown today for these purposes along with crafts and decorative household and garden items.
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Oldest Gourds
Gourd remains have been found in Egyptian tombs dating to between 2200 and 2400 B.C.
What’s the Difference Between a Gourd and a Pumpkin?
Pumpkins are round with a slightly sweet vegetable flavor.
Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria)Lane Oatey / Blue Jean Images / Getty Images
Gourds come in many different shapes and sizes with bland and sometimes bitter flavors.
Here are 15 types of gourds to grow with ways to use them.
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Apple gourd can be dried and painted for autumn displays and home decor.
When dried and cured they last for years and have a myriad of uses.
Snake gourds produce outstanding white flowers resembling lace.
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They can be painted or carved and added to Halloween displays.
Give them eyes and place them in the garden to scare off animal pests.
ovifera,resemble actual fowl eggs.
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They’re perfect for ornaments and can be carved, painted, and decorated just like Easter eggs.
Farmers use egg gourds to replace real eggs taken from nests to keep hens broody and laying.
They’re also used in woodburning and painting crafts.
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They are small at 2 to 3 inches tall and 3 to 4 inches wide.
Sizes vary from 4 to 12 inches long with bulbs 2 1/2 to 3 inches wide.
Turn autumn winged gourd into birdhouses and feeders, hanging pots, flower pots, and decorative bowls.
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The long narrow fruits are harvested at about 2 feet long, cured, and cut into desired lengths.
Carved and painted they become Santa Clauses, Halloween witches, Easter bunnies, and other decorative items.
Dried, they feature a hard shell suited for containers, decorative baskets, and even cooking pots.
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Tennessee Spinner gourds have been grown for centuries as a children’s toy similar to spinning tops.
They are also crafted into ornaments.
They are most popular in Halloween displays but other uses include carved bowls and wren houses.
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Purdue University Department of Horticulture
Luffa gourds require a sturdy trellisGetty Images / Apicha Wichanopkhun / EyeEm
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