Bottle Gourd/ Calabash 'Hercules Club' (Lagenaria siceraria) - The delicious giant

Make way for a true giant in the garden! When a plant bears the resonant name 'Club of Hercules' (botanically Lagenaria siceraria), you can be sure: something absolutely impressive is growing here. This special variety of bottle gourd forms gigantic, club-shaped fruits that, under good conditions, can reach an unbelievable length of over one meter up to an incredible two meters!

Whether you are looking for a curious, tasty summer vegetable or want to harvest your own crafting material in autumn – this climbing artist is a spectacular highlight for any garden.

Scope of delivery: Per young plant in a 7cm pot.

Growth & Location: A powerhouse needs support

The Club of Hercules is an extremely vigorous, annual climbing plant. Its meter-long tendrils and especially the huge, heavy fruits require a solid foundation.

• A stable framework is a must: A thin bamboo stick is not enough here! Give it a very sturdy pergola, a massive trellis, or a robust fence. If the fruits hang freely in the air, they grow straight down due to gravity. If they lie on the ground, they often curve amusingly like giant snakes.

• Location & Hunger: As a cucurbit, it loves warmth and full sun. A sheltered spot (preferably against a warm wall) is ideal. Since it produces enormous amounts of foliage and gigantic fruits in record time, it has an enormous appetite and thirst. Plant it in extremely nutrient-rich soil (compost is a must!) and water it generously in midsummer.

• Night-blooming flowers: The large, white flowers of the calabash open only in the evening hours and emit a light fragrance that attracts moths for pollination.

Two birds with one stone: Eat or craft?

Similar to the loofah gourd, with the Club of Hercules, you can decide how you want to use it solely by the harvesting time:

1. The mild summer vegetable (Young harvest): If you want to eat the club, don't wait until it's huge! Harvest the fruits while they are still relatively small, light green, and soft (about 30 to a maximum of 50 cm in length). At this young stage, the skin can still be scratched with a fingernail.

• Taste & Cuisine: The delicate, white flesh tastes similar to a fine, slightly sweet zucchini. You can peel it, cut it into slices or cubes, and fry, braise, or use it in Asian wok dishes and curries. It retains a great texture when cooked!

2. The crafting wonder (Mature harvest): If you simply leave the clubs hanging until late autumn, the magic of the gourds begins. The fruits become huge, the skin turns yellowish-brown and becomes extremely hard – it literally lignifies.

• Drying & Crafting: Before the first frost, harvest the giants and let them dry completely for several months in an airy, warm place. As soon as the seeds inside rattle, your natural material is ready. Fantastic things can be crafted from the hard, waterproof shell of the Club of Hercules: from impressive didgeridoos and other rhythm instruments to extravagant birdhouses and painted natural decorations.

Bring a true garden spectacle home with the 'Club of Hercules' that will amaze your neighbors!