Bitter Melon
- Fruit size: Harvest when young, green-yellow, 6 inches long
- Matures: 80 days (12-inch fruit)
- Plant Size: Very long vine, 13 to 16 feet
This bitter melon has spindle-shaped fruit with dark green color and rugged green skin. Noted for its extremely bitter taste, it’s considered an acquired taste for Westerners. Foo Gwa needs to grow along supports, such as a fence, spaced 9-10 feet apart; the vine will grow 13-16 feet long. The fruits will grow straight if they are hung as opposed to being left on ground. Plant in spring after all danger of frost is passed. Bitter melon needs full sun in nutrient-rich, well drained, but moist soil. Use liberal amounts of compost. Mulch to keep moisture in the ground for the long, leafy vines that can get thirsty fast, but ensure good drainage to prevent rot.
Bitter melon is more closely related to gourds than true melons and is often grown as an ornamental for its pretty foliage and strange fruit, which turns yellow then orange as it ages. In this case, gardeners let the fruit reach full size of a foot or so, but for eating it is best harvested at 6 inches and light green.
Use in Southeast Asian cuisine, soups, and salads. Try it in between courses to help cleanse the palate. Space plants 6 feet apart to sprawl in the garden, or 3 feet apart along a fence or trellis. Supported plants do best.
Some Bonnie Plants varieties may not be available at your local stores, as we select and sell varieties best suited to the growing conditions in each region.
Customer Reviews
- Spice it up! Review by Panhandlesue
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I had a telephone pole I wrapped fencing on to about 12'. The bitter melons loved this set up. I used Indian spice recipes to compliment the slightly bitter flavor. Cucumbers were grown on this setup some years. (Posted on May 12, 2013)Taste Yield
Pros: Taste, Yield
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Definitely yes
Share this review - Good for your helath Review by JohnHawaii
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I have been growing and consuming bitter melons all my life. It is easy to grow and you can use the fruits and leaves to eat. It has great nutritional benefit and have been used to lower the risk of getting some diseases. It might take someone who is not familiar with bitter melon to really appreciate it. (Posted on December 22, 2012)Taste Yield
Pros: Taste, Yield
Would you recommend this product to a friend? Definitely yes
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